Bryum gemmilucens R.Wilczek & Demaret, 1976

Larraín, Juan, Cano, María J. & Jiménez, Juan A., 2020, New bryophyte records from the Mediterranean region of Chile, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (11), pp. 131-140 : 134-135

Bryum gemmilucens R.Wilczek & Demaret

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Chile. Región Metropolitana: Provincia de Maipo, Comuna de Paine, Reserva Privada Altos de Cantillana, sector Puerta de Quillayes, sitio abierto entre bosque de Quillaja con matorral de Azara y Baccharis , junto a pirca de piedra, en suelo abierto, 33°53’37.2”S, 70°58’30.6”W, 1530 m, 9.XI.2017, J.Larraín 42051A (CONC); sendero entre Puerta de Quillayes y La Montura, ladera exposición N con matorral xerofítico, Puya , Azorella , y Neoporteria , sobre tierra en suelo protegido bajo Baccharis , 33°53’40.3”S, 70°58’30.9”W, 1560 m, 9.XI.2017, J. Larraín 42059B (CONC).

REMARKS

This taxon is superficially similar to the very common Bryum dichotomum Hedw. , but it is characterized by having numerous bulbils per leaf axil (more than five), each between 150- 200 µm, sometimes smaller (to 40 µm the young ones), and with very small or without leaf primordia. The bulbils differ from those described for North American populations ( Spence 2014) in being glossy and red.

This species is apparently rare in central Chile, found at a single location in the Metropolitan Region, growing in open soil and underneath shrubs in very dry montane vegetation, around 1500 m a.s.l. These are the first records of B. gemmiluscens in South America, being previously known from Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, Turkey, California, and the Canary Islands ( Ros et al. 1999; Uyar & Cetin 2004; Spence 2014).

A complete description and illustrations of this species are given by Guerra et al. (2010).