Cryptolophocolea explanata (Mitt.) Váňa & Crand.

Thouvenot, Louis, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the Lophocoleaceae Vanden Berghen (Marchantiophyta) of New Caledonia, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (1), pp. 1-60 : 8-10

Cryptolophocolea explanata (Mitt.) Váňa & Crand. -Stotl.

( Fig. 2 )

Phytotaxa 202: 69 ( Söderström et al. 2015).

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Lophocolea explanata Mitt. , Flora Vitiensis: 404 ( Mitten 1871 [1873]). — Chiloscyphus explanatus (Mitt.) J.J.Engel & R.M.Schust. , Nova Hedwigia 39: 414 ( Engel & Schuster 1984 [1985]).

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Type: Samoa. Powell s.n. (lecto-, selected by Váňa et Crandall-Stotler [in Söderström et al. 2015], NY [ NY00965738 ], not seen; isolecto-, G [ G00121761 ]!).

FURTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. South Province, Mts. Koghis , in forest, V-VI.1905, Etesse s.n., ex herb. E. G. Paris nr 13 ( G s.n.).

DISTRIBUTION IN NEW CALEDONIA. — South Province. Known from a single collection in Mts Koghis by Etesse in 1905.

TOTAL RANGE. — Pacific Islands, occurs also in Samoa (type locality).

DESCRIPTION (BASED ON THE NEW CALEDONIAN SPECIMEN) Autoecious.

Habit

Plants medium sized, wet shoots up to 2.10 mm wide when flattened.Leaves obliquely spreading,convex to nearly explanate.

Leaves

In medium parts of stems, leaves 0.70-0.90 mm long, 0.45- 0.65 mm wide at base, 0.20-0.25 at apex, long ovate to narrowly trapezoid when flattened, both margins nearly symmetrically convex above the base becoming nearly straight to slightly concave subapically, apices usually obliquely truncate, with a sharp tooth at both angles and rare additional short teeth on ventral margins, dorsal margins entire, decurrent, not connivent.

Cells

Leaf cells hexagonal, 24-36 µm wide, 24-50 µm long, thin walled, trigones small, acute.

Underleaves

Hardly wider than the stem, 0.30-0.40 mm, usually as wide as long, narrowly connate to the nearest leaves on both sides, rounded-quadrate to slightly obovate, bifid up to ¼ down with rather short triangular acuminate lobes and lunate sinus, margins convex, recurved near base, with one tooth on both sides, teeth shorter or like apical lobes.

Gametangia

Gynoecia terminal on normal-leaved branches or main shoots, bracts ovate lanceolate, asymmetric, 2.20 mm long, 0.90 mm wide, canaliculate, margins laciniate, bracteoles oblong, 1.60 mm long, 1.20 mm wide, margins laciniate; perianths subcylindrical, 3-carinate, keels broadly winged, ciliate along the whole length, mouth densely laciniate; androecia in long spikes with more than 15 pairs of bracts, intercalary or terminal on normal leaved branches, bracts 1.00 mm long, 0.50 mm wide, smaller than the normal leaves and saccate at dorsal base, antheridia stalk biseriate.

COMMENTS

Lophocolea explanata was reported from New Caledonia byParis (1906) based on a specimen collected by Etesse. No voucher has been found in the herbarium of E. G. Paris at REN, but a duplicate is kept in G (see also Stephani’s correspondence to Paris, 9.VII.1905 [Rennes 1 University Library]) matching the isolectotype of L. explanata in G and confirms the presence of this species in New Caledonia. Stephani (1906) described the species as being dioecious, likely owing to the absence of male shoots in the type, but the New Caledonian specimen is autoecious.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Cryptolophocolea explanata (Mitt.) Váňa & Crand.-Stotl.: A, shoot in ventral view; B, D, E, G, leaves; C, leaf apex; F, cells; H, female bract; I, female bracteole; J-L, underleaves. All drawn from the specimen Etesse s.n. at G (s.n.). Scale bars: A-E, G-K, 500 µm; L, 200 µm; F, 50 µm.