Lejeunea leratii (Steph.) Mizut.

Thouvenot, Louis & Müller, Frank, 2021, Contribution to the bryophyte flora of New Caledonia IV. Species new to the country, new localities together with taxonomic notes, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (13), pp. 181-196 : 184

Lejeunea leratii (Steph.) Mizut.

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — New Caledonia, North Province, Poindimié, Amoa valley, Tipwadabwé, 20°59’14”S,

165°13’45”E, on volcano-sedimentary rocks aside a flooded creek, along the GR trail, 211 m, 13.X.2019, Thouvenot NC2741 PC[(PC0712104)].

COMMENTS

Lejeunea leratii occurs in Indomalesia (Java, Papua-New Guinea, Malaysia [ North Borneo Island], GBIF.org 2020 and Chuah-Petiot 2011) and in New Caledonia from where it was only known by the types of Hygrolejeunea leratii Steph. and H. gottscheana Steph. ( Thouvenot et al. 2011). The former has been collected near Poindimié in North Province, the latter lack indications for collector and locality. The main characters of these plants ( Fig. 1 I-L) are: 1) the very large reniform underleaves, 300-400 µm long, 600-800 µm wide, as wide or wider than the corresponding leaves, the margins entire to retuse at apices; 2) the leaves oval, entire, with a small and inflated lobule, 1∕6× the lobe width, with a single one-celled tooth, and 3) the leaf cells relatively large, 25 × 37 µm, with large trigones and intermediate thickenings. The discovery of the new specimen in the municipality where the type had been collected confirms its presence in North Province.

Figures

FIG. 1. — A-H: Telaranea parvifolia (Steph.) J.J.Engel & G.L.Merr. A, shoot, dorsal view; B, C, stem transverse sections; D, main stem leaf; E, main stem underleaf; F, branch leaf; G, H, branch underleaves.From Thouvenot NC2617. I-L: Lejeunea leratii (Steph.) Mizut. I, shoot, ventral view; J, lobule ventral view; K, underleaf; L, leaf cell. From Thouvenot NC2741. M, N, Balantiopsis montana (Colenso) J.J.Engel & G.L.Merr. M, leaf, dorsal view (lobule cells omitted); N, underleaf. From Laudereau NC2780. Scale bars: A, M, N, 200 µm; B-H, J, L, 100 µm; I, 500 µm; K, 20 µm.