Ventral Merophyte Research Articles

Lejeunea pocsiana (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta), a new species with robust stems and two lobular teeth from Fiji

Lejeunea pocsiana, a new species from Fiji, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by its large size, robust stems, ventral merophyte 4-8 cells wide, broadly ovate to triangular-ovate leaves with a rounded leaf apex, subquadrate and almost flat lobules with two distinctly differentiated teeth, bifid underleaves with cordate to slightly auriculate bases, and leaf cells with smooth cuticle and poorly developed trigones. A key to Lejeunea species that have robust stems with a (3-)4-8-cell-wide ventral merophyte is presented.

Additions to the distribution of some Palaeotropic Lejeunea (Marchantiophyta) species, with the description of Lejeunea konratii sp. nov. from Fiji

Three new additions to the knowledge of Lejeunea species in the Paleotropical bryoflora with their distributional ranges are presented. A new species, Lejeunea konratii G.E.Lee & Pócs, from Fiji (Central Viti Levu) is described and illustrated. It is characterized by the peculiar (1)–2 cells long first tooth of leaf lobules, the robust stem with 16–24 epidermal cells and ventral merophytes 4–8 cells wide, the reniform underleaves, the smooth cuticle, the leaf cells without well-developed trigones and intermediate thickenings, and the 2-winged, auriculate and undulate keels of the perianth. All Asian and Pacific species of Lejeunea with pluricellular lobule teeth are compared and discussed.

Lejeunea streimannii (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta), a remarkable new species with robust stems and 5(or 6)-keeled perianths from Papua New Guinea

Lejeunea streimannii, a new species from Papua New Guinea, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by the dioicous plants, robust stem with 18‒21 rows of cortical cells and a ventral merophyte 4‒6 cells wide, ovate leaves with a rounded, strongly incurved leaf apex, small lobules with unicelluar first tooth and blunt second tooth, large underleaves with a cordate base, inflated perianths with 5(or 6) crenate, slightly winged keels.

A remarkable new species of Cheilolejeunea (Marchantiophyta: Lejeuneaceae) from Colombia.

We describe the new liverwort species Cheilolejeunea schiavoneana M.E.Reiner & Gradst. from submontane rainforest in the Western Cordillera of Colombia. The new species is related to C. adnata (C. sect. Cheilolejeunea) but differs by larger plant, leaf and underleaf size, robust stems, a 5-6 cells wide ventral merophyte, abundance of microphyllous branches, and vegetative reproduction by caducous leaf lobes produced on flagelliform shoots. The latter feature is characteristic of the genus Rectolejeunea and its presence in Cheilolejeunea is apparently a case of parallel evolution. The discovery of C. schiavoneana adds a further endemic taxon to the rich flora of the Colombian Western Cordillera. Key

An integrative revision of Dinckleria (Plagiochilaceae: Jungermanniopsida)

On the basis of variation in molecular sequence data and morphology, three species are recognised within Dinckleria. The generitype D. pleurata is widespread in Tasmania and New Zealand and has outlier populations in Victoria, and in rainforests around the New South Wales–Queensland border. Dinckleria fruticella is endemic to New Zealand, records of this species from Tasmania and Queensland are based on misidentifications. The widespread Malesian species Plagiochila singularis is transferred to Dinckleria, and newly reported for Australia and Vanuatu. In Australia, this species is known by two collections, one from the Atherton Tableland the other from the Paluma Range. Dinckleria can be distinguished from other genera of Plagiochilaceae by the presence of papillae on leaf-cell surfaces in combination with monomorphic leafy shoots arising from a basal stolon, the stolons originating by ventral-intercalary branching, presence of cell surface wax, and the restriction of rhizoids to the ventral merophyte.

Transfer of the MioceneLejeunea palaeomexicanaGrolle toCeratolejeunea

Abstract Lejeunea palaeomexicana was described in 1984 based on an inclusion of a sterile leafy liverwort in a piece of Miocene Mexican amber. A reinvestigation of the type specimen provided evidence for a basal group of ocelli in the leaf lobes. Ocelli are unknown among extant representatives of Lejeunea but occur in several other genera of Lejeuneaceae. Based on the brown colour of the cell walls, the asymmetrical leaf lobes, the two cells wide ventral merophyte and the position of the ocelli, we propose a transfer of Lejeunea palaeomexicana to Ceratolejeunea.

A new species of Brevianthus (Brevianthaceae, Marchantiophyta) from New Caledonia with unusual underleaf production.

Brevianthus is a distinctive genus of leafy liverwort in its succubously inserted, entire leaves, lack of underleaves, restriction of sexual organs to lateral-intercalary branches, scattered rhizoids and dense leaf-surface ornamentation. The sole species, Brevianthus flavus, is divided into two subspecies, one in Tasmania the other in New Zealand. A second species, Brevianthus hypocanthidium, is described as new and is the first record of the genus for New Caledonia. Among its distinguishing characters are its shallowly bilobed leaves, and triangular underleaves present on small to medium-sized shoot sectors, the lack of a hyaline leaf margin, and the crenulate leaf margin formed by heavily thickened external cell walls. The most unusual features of the new species are the presence of underleaves between lateral leaf insertion lines that reach the ventral stem mid-line, and the absence of underleaves from larger shoots. To explain these features we propose a competitive model of shoot formation wherein the ventral merophyte progressively loses vigor as its relative stature decreases, and its derivative cells become discontinuous and isolated along the ventral stem surface, with intervening areas occupied by derivatives of the more vigorous lateral merophytes.

The first ptychanthoid Lejeuneaceae in Miocene Mexican amber

Two inclusions of leafy liverworts in Miocene Mexican amber are tentatively assigned to the extant genus Mastigolejeunea (Lejeuneaceae subfam. Ptychanthoideae). Both specimens share complicate bilobed leaves with a rounded lobe apex, a lobule with an oblique free margin continuing into the ventral margin of the leaf lobe, elongated leaf cells, a broad ventral merophyte, and undivided underleaves with a truncate to slightly emarginated, recurved apex. The lack of generative structures prevents a more thorough taxonomic treatment. Nevertheless, the inclusions represent the first ptychanthoid Lejeuneaceae from Mexican amber.

Notes on Early Land Plants Today. 21. On <i>Archilejeunea herminieri</i> (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta)

In a revision of Archilejeunea (Spruce 1884: 88) Stephani (1888: 113) in tropical America, Gradstein & Buskes (1985) suggested that Archilejeunea herminieri might be conspecific with Amblyolejeunea fulfordiae Jovet-Ast (1949: 25) (≡ Lejeunea fulfordiae (Ast) Zhu & Cheng (2008: 617)). The identity of the material could not be ascertained with certainty because perianths, which are characteristically inflated and without keels in Lejeunea fulfordiae, were lacking and the hyaline papilla at the lobule apex was not observed. Now, 25 years later, my re-examination of the type specimen has revealed that the material is identical to Oryzolejeunea saccatiloba (= Oryzolejeunea antillana). When sterile, Oryzolejeunea saccatiloba is confusingly similar to Lejeunea fulfordiae. Both species have undivided, rounded underleaves, stems with ventral merophytes 2 cells wide, somewhat falcate leaf-lobes with rounded apex, crenulate leaf margins with large, thin-walled cells, and large leaf-lobules with a truncate apex and a short, obtuse apical tooth. However, Oryzolejeunea saccatiloba has a distal hyaline papilla (which now has been observed in the type material of Archilejeunea herminieri, admittedly with some difficulty), the distal free margin of the lobules bordered by cells that are similar in size to the inner lobule cells, and lobe cells with an asperulate cuticle (but occasionally smooth; see Bernecker-Lücking 1999). In Lejeunea fulfordiae, however, the hyaline papilla is proximal, the distal free margin is bordered by enlarged cells (Zhu & Cheng 2008, Fig. 1: I), and the cuticle of the lobe cells is always smooth. The lack of a border of enlarged cells on the distal free margin, the distinctly asperulate lobe cells and the distal hyaline papilla in Archilejeunea herminieri leave no doubt about the identity of the species.

Studies on AfricanCheilolejeunea(Lejeuneaceae) I: New species and new combinations

The genus Leucolejeunea A. Evans is reduced to a synonym under Cheilolejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. on the basis of variable morphological characters, such as ventral merophytes, oil bodies, stem cells, lobule and gynoecial innovations, and on the basis of recent molecular evidence. Consequently three new combinations within Cheilolejeunea; Ch. rotundistipula (Lindenb. ex Lehm.) Malombe, Ch. unciloba (Lindenb.) Malombe and Ch. xanthocarpa (Lehm. et Lindenb.) Malombe, are proposed. Two new species, Cheilolejeunea fischeri and Cheilolejeunea ngongensis are also described.

Taxonomy and distribution of Cheilolejeunea krakakammae (Lejeuneaceae, Jungermanniopsida, Marchantiophyta), with a description and illustrations of Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx from Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador

Cheilolejeunea comitans (Hook.f. & Taylor) R.M.Schust. previously endemic to Australia and New Zealand and C. khasiana (Mitt.) N.Kitag. widespread in East Asia and the Himalaya are proposed as synonyms of the African C.krakakammae (Lindenb.) R.M.Schust. Cheilolejeunea krakakammae is newly reported for Hainan (China), Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka. Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx (J.B.Jack & Steph.) Grolle, a little known species in Bolivia and Colombia, is closely related to C. krakakammae. However, the former differs in the wider ventral merophyte of the stem (3-5 cells wide in well developed stems), truncate or retuse apex of the perianth which usually lacks a distinct beak, and the first tooth of the leaf lobule mostly developed, forming a distinct bulge of 2-3 cells. A thorough description and illustrations of Cheilolejeunea krakakammae and C. laevicalyx are provided. A lectotype is designated for the name of Strepsilejeunea georgensis S.Arnell.

Two new species of Cheilolejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. (Lejeuneaceae) from Brazil: C. lacerata sp. nov. and C. rupestris sp. nov.

Two new species of Cheilolejeunea subgenus Strepsilejeunea from the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, are described and illustrated: Cheilolejeunea lacerata C. Bastos & Gradst. sp. nov. and Cheilolejeunea rupestris C. Bastos & Gradst. sp. nov. Cheilolejeunea lacerata is distinguished by its lacerated and irregularly dentate antical margin of the leaf lobe. The species is known only from southern Bahia where it occurs in fragments of evergreen rain forest. Cheilolejeunea rupestris was collected in 'campos rupestres' in the Chapada Diamantina, growing on rock. The outstanding features of this new species are the broad, four-cells-wide ventral merophytes, the reniform, shallowly bifid underleaves, and the recurved, obtuse to acute leaf apices. The species approaches C. fragrantissima (Spruce) Steph. and the two may be sister taxa. The similarity of the two species suggests that the separation between subgen. Cheilolejeunea and subgen. Strepsilejeunea may be artificial.

What is Chondriolejeunea?

Abstract Chondriolejeunea , the former subgenus of Cololejeunea is raised to the generic rank on the base that the supposed large styli are in reality underleaves, inserted alternately to the two cell rows of ventral merophytes and having rhizoid initials at their base. Chondriolejeunea pseudostipulata (Schiffn.) Kis & Pocs, Chondriolejeunea shimizui (N. Kitag.) Kis & Pocs, Chondriolejeunea shimizui var. phangngana (N. Kitag.) Kis & Pocs, Chondriolejeunea chinii (Tixier) Kis & Pocs, comb. et stat. nov. Cololejeunea shimizui subsp. shihuishanensis M.L. So & R.L. Zhu, syn. nov. Speculation on the possible ways of evolution of tribe Cololejeuneae .

Neurolejeunea fukiensis belongs to Cheilolejeunea (Lejeuneaceae, Hepaticae)

SummaryZhu, R.‐L., So, M. L., Cao, T. & Gao, Q.: Neurolejeunea fukiensis belongs to Cheilolejeunea (Lejeuneaceae, Hepaticae). – Taxon 48: 663‐666. 1999. – ISSN 0040‐0262.Neurolejeunea fukiensis was hitherto the only species of Neurolejeunea found in China and the whole of Asia. It is here transferred to Cheilolejeunea, primarily on account of the following diagnostic features: a narrow stem (its ventral merophytes 2 cells wide), very shortly bifid to emarginate underleaves, the absence of ocelli, an elongate second tooth and obsolete first tooth of the leaf lobule, and a distal hyaline papilla. By this transfer, Neurolejeunea becomes a New World genus.

On the Genus Scaphophyllum (Jungermanniaceae)

On the Genus Scaphophyllum (Jungermanniaceae)