Leptophascum (Müll.Hal.) J.Guerra & M.J.Cano

A., Gamal M., Lashin, Abdelhaliem, Ekram M., A., Gehad A. & Hamouda, 2022, Leptophascum leptophyllum (Müll. Hal.) J. Guerra & M. J. Cano (Bryophyta: Pottiaceae), a genus and species new to Egypt, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (10), pp. 167-171 : 168-170

Genus Leptophascum (Müll.Hal.) J.Guerra & M.J.Cano

Leptophascum leptophyllum (Müll.Hal.) J.Guerra & M.J.Cano

( Fig. 2 )

Journal of Bryology 22 (2): 92 ( Guerra & Cano 2000). — Chenia leptophylla (Müll.Hal.) R.H.Zander , Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 32: 258 ( Zander 1993). — Basionym: Phascum leptophyllum Müll.Hal. , Flora 71: 6 ( Müller 1888). — Type: Africa.

Tortula rhizophylla (Sakurai) Z.Iwats. & K.Saito , Miscellanea Bryologica et Lichenologica 6: 59 ( Iwatsuki & Saito 1972). — Basionym: Physcomitrium rhizophyllum Sakurai , The Botanical Magazine (Tokyo) 52 (615): 469 ( Sakurai 1938). — Type: China.

Tortula vectensis E.F.Warburg & Crundwell, Transactions of the British Bryological Society 4 (5): 763 ( Warburg & Crundwell 1965). — Type: Isle of wight.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Egypt. Mit-Ghamr, Dondait village, clay on cement wall of water basin in semi shade, 7.X.2017, Gehad Hamouda, 170GH (CAIA[17170GHDaq]); Shirbin, Dangway village, red break wall of water canal in semi shade, 31°12’20”N, 31°32’36”E, 14 m a.s.l., 28.IV.2019, Gehad Hamouda, 307GH (CAIA[19307GHDaq]); Talkha, Al Adham village, red break wall of water canal in semi shade, 31°10’47”N, 31°27’07”E, 12 m a.s.l., 28.IV.2019, Gehad Hamouda, 333GH (CAIA[19333GHDaq]); Al Bosaat village, red break wall of water well in semi shade, 31°09’45”N, 31°26’21”E, 10 m a.s.l., 28.IV.2019, Gehad Hamouda, 334GH (CAIA[19334GHDaq]).

DISTRIBUTION. — AFrica. Botswana, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Reunion, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Asia. China (Yunnan), India, Japan, Saudi Arabia.

Australasia. New Zealand.

Europe. Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom.

Macaronesia. Azores, Madeira.

North America. Mexico, United States (Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico).

Oceania. Hawaiian Islands.

South America. Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay ( Magill 1981 as Phascum leptophyllum ; Arts & Sollman 1991 as Phascum leptophyllum ; Mishler 1994 as Tortula rhizophylla ; Lüth 2006; O’Shea

2006 as Chenia leptophylla ; Ros et al. 2013; Hodgetts & Lockhart 2020 as Chenia leptophylla ; Taha et al. 2020).

DESCRIPTION

Plants yellowish green to olive green, small or medium up to 3.5-7.0 mm high. Stem unbranched, semi-rounded in crosssection, central strand absent, sclerodermis not differentiated. Leaves appressed when dry, squarrose-recurved to spreading when moist, concave, falcate, obovate to spathulate, 1.8- 2.4 mm long, 0.6-0.9 mm wide; apex obtuse and apiculate, asymmetrical; margins plane, irregularly notched above, entire below; costa excurrent in short reflexed apiculus, superficial cells oblong, circular in cross section, costa without stereid band, guide cells are two in one layer; upper lamina cells irregular, quadrate and slightly papillose, basal lamina cells quadrate to oblong, rounded. Perichaetia terminal or lateral on main axis, perichaetial leaves smaller than stem leaves, 1.2 mm long, and 0.6 mm wide. Rhizoids attached to the back of the costa at leaf tips.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Leptophascum leptophyllum (Müll.Hal.) J.Guerra & M.J.Cano: A, B, dry plant; C, D, moist plant; E-H, leaves; I, J, leaf apices; K-M, upper leaf cells; N, O, basal leaf cells; P, rhizoids at leaf tip; Q-U, leaf cross-sections; V-X, stem cross-sections; Y, archegonium. Scale bars: A, B, 2 mm; C, 1 mm; D, 1.7 mm; E, F, N, 0.3 mm; G, H, 0.6 mm; I, Y, 0.2 mm; J, L, O, Q-U, 0.1 mm; K, P, 0.5 µm; M, 0.2 µm; V-X, 0.8 µm.