Sphagnum quinquefarium (Braithw.) Warnst.

Alegro, Antun, Dragićević, Snežana, Šegota, Vedran & Ćetković, Ilinka, 2019, Stepping beyond the 700 milestone: four new moss species in the bryophyte flora of Montenegro, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (9), pp. 97-103 : 100

Sphagnum quinquefarium (Braithw.) Warnst.

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — Montenegro. Western slopes of Hajla Mt, forest road connecting town of Rožaje and village Bandžov, c. 1.5 km downstream from the spring of the River Ibar. 42°47’56”N, 20°06’30”E, 1216 m a.s.l., 7.IX.2017, leg. and det. A. Alegro, V. Šegota, S. Dragićević, I. Ćetković s.n., ZA47631.

REMARKS

The species grew on very steep, almost vertical, wet, slippery and highly inaccessible siliceous rocks, located above the bridge at the crossroad between the forest road and Ibar

River, a locality which is outside the Mediterranean part of Montenegro. Identical to other parts of Europe, the species grows in mountain sites with scattered blocks, forming mats on cliffs where the dripping of water is present, or on rocks in seepage areas ( Dierssen 2001). Green plants dominated, however, several patches demonstrated a mix of green and reddish colour, as already reported in literature (e.g. Brugués et al. 2007). On the same rocks several other mosses occurred: Dicranum scoparium Hedw. , Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp. , Polytrichum formosum Hedw. and Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. Vascular flora assemblage with Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin., Gentiana asclepiadea L., Hieracium murorum L., Huperzia selago (L.) Bernh. ex Schrank & Mart., Luzula luzuloides (Lam.) Dandy & Wilmott , Rubus hirtus Waldst. & Kit. , Vaccinium myrtilus L. and Veronica urticifolia (Jacq.) Fourr. clearly demonstrates acidic and humid conditions on the habitat. Sphagnum quinquefarium is a Suboceanic Boreal-montane element ( Hill & Preston 1998; Smith 2004), outside Europe distributed in E Asia and the Atlantic and Pacific coastal areas of N America ( Daniels & Eddy 1985). It is present throughout the most of Europe and is most common in S Scandinavia, in mountain areas of Iberian, Apennine and Balkan peninsulas ( Daniels & Eddy 1985; Hölzer 2010). In SE Europe it is known from Bosnia & Herzegovina ( Pavletić 1955), Bulgaria ( Düll et al. 1999; Natcheva et al. 2006), Croatia ( Alegro & Šegota 2010) and Slovenia (Martinčič 2003). In other Mediterranean areas the species was recorded only in France ( Ros et al. 2013), Italy ( Aleffi et al. 2008) and Spain ( Brugués et al. 2007). The species is listed on the European Union habitats and Species Directive ( European Commission 2007). No direct threats to Montenegrin population have been observed, however, longer droughts due to climate changes could present a serious risk in the future.