Cheilolejeunea unciloba (Lindenberg) Malombe (2009: 325)

Gil-Novoa, Jorge Enrique & Costa, Denise Pinheiro, 2023, Synopsis of the species of Cheilolejeunea (Marchantiophyta, Lejeuneaceae) in the Pacific dominion and Páramo province of tropical America, Phytotaxa 587 (2), pp. 73-120 : 113-114

30. Cheilolejeunea unciloba (Lindenberg) Malombe (2009: 325) .—

Lejeunea unciloba Lindenberg (in Gottsche et al. 1845: 331).

Type:— BRAZIL, without locality and without collector (holotype W-62234 – hb. Lindenberg).— Fig. 20K–R .

Plants pale glaucous or light green, 1.0– 1.7 mm wide. Stems in cross section 80–140 µm in diameter, 16–18 epidermal cells, 10–22 × 12–20 µm; 28–36 medullary cells, 8–34 × 5–9 µm. Ventral merophytes (2–)4 cells wide. Leaves imbricate, ovate-elongate, flat or, occasionally, with recurved apical margin, 490–1550 × 430–1020 µm, margin entire, apex rounded; cell thin-walled, inconspicuous trigones; basal cells 12–50 × 11–33 µm, median cells 15–39 × 10–32 µm, marginal cells 6–14 × 8–18 µm. Lobules rectangular, 1/2–2/5 of leaf length, apical tooth long, 21–39 µm long (3–5 cells) × 9–16 µm wide at the base (2–4 cells), generally recurved, free margin flat. Underleaves distant to imbricate, orbicular to ovate, 240–430 × 280–590 µm, 3.5–5 × stem width, margin entire, insertion deeply U-shaped. Autoicous. Androecia commonly on the main stem, or at the apex of the branches, 2–3 pairs of bracts. Gynoecia with pycnolejeuneoid innovations, bracts obovate, 50 × 550 µm, acute rounded. Perianth 5-keeled, keels strongly developed, beak short. Vegetative reproduction unknown.

Distribution and habitat:—Paleotropical ( Malombe 2009), but considered uncommon in northern South America (Gradstein 2021). This species grows on tree trunks and branches, and rocks in the study area, in lower and upper montane rainforests, being most common in coastal forests, between 100–3100 m (Gradstein 2021), in the Cauca and Magdalena provinces of the Pacific dominion ( Fig. 21 ).

Notes: —Characterized by plants pale glaucous green, leaves usually flat (occasionally apex recurved), lobule 1/2–2/5 x leaf length and with a 3-5 cells long tooth, and underleaves undivided, 3.5–5 × stem width. Specimens with recurved leaf apices can be confused with C. xanthocarpa ; for differences see under the latter species. According to Schuster (1980a), plants of C. unciloba with recurved leaf apices are a xeromorphic phenotype.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Niteroi, Parque Natural Municipal de Niteroi , 22°55’20”S, 43°04’44”W, 229 m, 21 August 2018, Maudonet et al. 27 ( RB) . COLOMBIA. Amazonas: Comunidad “Peña Roja”, 0°34’S, 72°08’W, 200 m, 11 July 2000, Idárraga 2371 ( HUA) . Antioquia: Buriticá, vereda Higragra , 6°41’59.6”N, 75°53’32.7” W, 1087 m, 2 March 2017, Lalinde 9 ( HUA) ; Yondó, vereda San Bartolo , 6°44’52.3” N, 74°25’22.7” W, 109 m, 26 November 2017, Larrota 7210 ( COL) . Boyacá: Arcabuco , 5°44’26.6’’ N, 73°23’34.2’’ W, 3205 m, 8 December 2021, Gil-Novoa & Costa 3692, 3698, 3699 ( UPTC) . Chocó: Tadó, vereda Marmolejo , 380 m, 25 October 1991, Uribe 1907 ( COL) . Santander: Hato, vereda Hoya Negra , 6°36’09”N, 73°21’40”W, 2231 m, 27 August 2017, Cuta 245 ( UPTC) .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Cheilolejeunea trifaria var. clausa A-B. Cladographs of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth); C. Shoot in ventral view; D. Perianth; E. Shoot with androecia in ventral view; F. Leaf and lobule; G. Lobule; H. Ventral merophyte; I. Underleaf; J. Leaf lobe cells with trigones. Cheilolejeunea unciloba K. Cladograph of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth); L. Shoot in ventral view; M. Shoot with perianth in ventral view; N. Shoot with androecia in ventral view; O. Leaf and lobule; P. Ventral merophyte; Q. Apex of lobule; R. Leaf lobe cells with trigones. Cheilolejeunea xanthocarpa S. Cladograph of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth); T-U. Shoots in ventral view; V. Ventral merophyte with underleaf; W. Leaf and lobule; X. Lobule and border leaf; Y. Underleaf; Z. Leaf lobe cells with trigones.

FIGURE 21. Distribution of Cheilolejeunea trifaria var. clausa, C. unciloba and C. xanthocarpa in Pacific dominion and Páramo province.