Chionoloma tenuirostre (Hook. & Taylor) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez var. tenuirostre

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 : 192

* Chionoloma tenuirostre (Hook. & Taylor) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez var. tenuirostre

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. North Province, Poya 15 km NE, limestone massif Roche d’Adio, 21°14’S, 165°15’E, on limestone rockface, c. 200-250 m, 06.IX.2003, Müller NC464 (DR).

COMMENTS

In New Caledonia, three species of the genus Chionoloma Dixon were hitherto known, namely Chionoloma dubium (Thér.) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez , C. orthodontum (Müll.Hal.) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez , and C. schlimii (Müll.Hal.) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez ( Alonso et al. 2019). Record details of our own collections of

C. dubium and C. schlimii (as C. crassicostatum (D.H.Norris & T.J.Kop.) M.Alonso, M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez ) are given in Thouvenot et al. (2018). Here we report a fourth species of the genus, C. tenuirostre , as new for New Caledonia. This species is most similar to C. orthodontum , but is differing by its leaf basal marginal cells, which do not extend up the margin to form a V-shaped pattern, and its dorsal stereid band of the costa, which is usually larger than the ventral band ( Alonso et al. 2019). Chionoloma tenuirostre var. tenuirostre has a cosmopolitan distribution, except for arctic regions ( Alonso et al. 2019), the nearest known records are in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.