Cryptolophocolea subcostata (Steph.) Thouvenot

Thouvenot, Louis, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the Lophocoleaceae Vanden Berghen (Marchantiophyta) of New Caledonia, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (1), pp. 1-60 : 10

Cryptolophocolea subcostata (Steph.) Thouvenot

( Fig. 3 )

Cryptogamie, Bryologie 39 (3): 364 ( Thouvenot et al. 2018).

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Lophocolea subcostata Steph. , Species Hepaticarum 6: 295 ( Stephani 1922). — Chiloscyphus subcostatus (Steph.) J.J.Engel & R.M.Schust. , Nova Hedwigia 39: 423 ( Engel & Schuster 1984 [1985]).

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Type: New Caledonia. Le Rat s.n. (lecto-, here designated, G [“In jugo Dogny, 1050 m ”, VII.1909, L. Le Rat 424, G00112445 ]!; isolecto-, REN [herb. E. G. Paris s.n.]).

FURTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. South Province, ridge between the path to Dzumac and Mt. Ouin , 1100 m, 17.V.1951, Hürlimann 2599 ( PC [ PC167677 ]); Païta, Humboldt massif , 1205 m, cloud forest, 30.IX.2008, Thouvenot NC1799 ; North Province, Hienghène, Panié massif , between Bwa Téan and Payolé , 1000 m, 9.X.2012, Thouvenot NC1879 .

DISTRIBUTION IN NEW CALEDONIA. — Scattered in North and South Provinces, in cloud forest above 1000 m.

TOTAL RANGE. — Endemic.

DESCRIPTION

Autoecious.

Habit

Plants medium sized, moist shoots 3.00 mm wide.

Leaves

In medium parts of stems, leaves 0.90-1.00 mm long, 0.60-0.70 mm wide at bases, 0.30-0.40 mm at apices, obliquely spreading, dorsally convex, canaliculate, when flat long ovate, asymmetrical, ventral bases widened, dorsal margins nearly straight, apices acute, truncate or bilobate, with additional irregular sharp teeth at apices and ventral margins, dorsal margins entire or with a few smaller teeth, decurrent.

Cells

Leaf cells round, 25-35 µm wide, trigones large, basal cells larger.

Underleaves

Large, widely connate to the leaves on both sides, rounded, short bifid with connivent lobes and lunate sinus, margins sharply toothed with many long teeth like the apical lobes, disc 0.40-0.60 mm wide.

Gametangia

Gynoecia terminal on normal leaved branches, bracts much tongue like, canaliculate, margins unevenly ciliate-toothed, bracteoles shorter, margins ciliate-toothed; perianths subcylindrical, 3-carinate, keels broadly winged, ciliate along the whole length, mouth shortly trilobate, lobes oval, laciniate; androecia in long spikes, intercalary to subterminal on leaved branches, bracts like the vegetative leaves but smaller and dorsally saccate at base.

COMMENTS

As mentioned by Thouvenot et al. (2018), this species is separated from the two additional Cryptolophocolea species reported from New Caledonia by leaves strongly canaliculate (separating it from C. explanata (Mitt.) Váňa & Crand. - Stotl.) and autoecious sexuality and short oval perianth lobes (separating it from C. levieri (Schiffn.) L. Söderstr. ). From the closely related C. costata (Nees) L.Söderstr. it is separated mainly by the subtruncate to shortly trilobed perianth mouths, smaller size with leaves less than 2 mm long (vs 2-3 mm), rounded underleaves and dorsal leaf margins entire or with a few small teeth. As molecular evidence for a possible synonymy with the latter is lacking, C. subcostata is kept as a separate species.

Figures

FIG. 3. — Cryptolophocolea subcostata (Steph.) Thouvenot: A, B, E, leaves and underleaves, ventral view; C, G, leaves; D, perianth; F, cells; H, female bracteole; I, androecium. All illustrated from Hürlimann 2599a (PC0167677). Scale bars: F, 20 µm; A-E, G, H, 500 µm; I, 1 mm.