Philonotis marchica (Hedw.) Brid.

Osman, Imen Ben, Hugonnot, Vincent, Muller, Serge D. & Daoud-Bouattour, Amina, 2022, New bryophytes for Tunisia (North Africa). Part 2: other families, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (11), pp. 173-185 : 176

Philonotis marchica (Hedw.) Brid.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Tunisia. Kroumiria, Jendouba Governorate, Delegation of Fernana: eastern side of Beni Mtir: M’hrida, sterile, 36°43’54.53”N, 08°43’33.33”E, 554 m a.s.l. (site 2019-18), 03.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-292]); Delegation of Aïn Draham: Dar Fatma, sterile, 36°49’06.92”N, 08°46’29.70”E, 783 m a.s.l. (site 2019-36), 05.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-293]).

REMARKS

Philonotis marchica was collected in two peaty habitats: in a peaty meadow of Eleocharis multicaulis (Sm.) Desv. , Isoetes duriei Bory and Ranunculus hederaceus L. (M’hrida), and on floating peat of the Dar Fatma peatland (see Hygroamblystegium varium var. varium for the site description). Elsewhere, this pioneer species is said to occur in open environments, on seepy roadbanks, in mires, on peat, on wet rocks, and river banks (Dismier 1907; Dierssen 2001). In Tunisia, it seems to be strictly linked to peatlands.

The species is characterized by its keeled lanceolate leaves, with an acute to acuminate apex, dentate with simple, sharp teeth.The margins are plane at the base.The nerve is percurrent or slightly excurrent, and papillose. Axillary ovate bulbils are present. The laminal cells constantly bear regular distal mamillae.Herbarium specimens of Philonotis marchica have been confused on several occasions with P. capillaris Lindb. or P. fontana (Hedw.) Brid. (Dismier 1907) , two species that are probably more frequent than P. marchica in Tunisia ( Jelenc 1955a, 1967).

Philonotis marchica is a European southern-temperate species widespread in the Mediterranean area, including Macaronesia, but rare in Northern Europe ( Ros et al. 2013; Hodgetts & Lockhart 2020). It also occurs in Southwestern Asia ( Kürschner & Frey 2020), and in North ( Zales 1973; Griffin 2014) and South America (Delgadillo et al. 1995).