Cheilolejeunea asperrima (Stephani) Grolle (1985: 197)

Gil-Novoa, Jorge Enrique & Costa, Denise Pinheiro, 2023, Synopsis of the species of Cheilolejeunea (Marchantiophyta, Lejeuneaceae) in the Pacific dominion and Páramo province of tropical America, Phytotaxa 587 (2), pp. 73-120 : 83-85

4. Cheilolejeunea asperrima (Stephani) Grolle (1985: 197) .—

Taxilejeunea asperrima Stephani (1916: 259) .

Type:— BOLIVIA. An der Waldgrenze ̧ber Tablas, 3.400 m, T. Herzog 2907 (holotype G-00112006).— Fig. 4A–G .

Plants light brown, dark brown or greenish gray, 0.7–9.0 mm wide. Stems in cross section 120–150 µm in diameter, 16–18 epidermal cells, 22–30 × 13–17 µm; 30–36 medullary cells, 14–21 × 21–14 µm. Ventral merophytes 4–6(–7) cells wide. Leaves imbricate, ovate to obovate, flat or recurved at the apex, 850–900 × 600–650 µm; margin entire, apex acute; cells strongly mammillose-papillose, large trigones; basal cells 30–40 × 24–27 µm, median cells 27–35 × 20–26 µm, marginal cells 10–16 × 10–14 µm. Lobules rectangular, 2/5–1/3 of leaf length, with one short tooth, 1–2 cells length, free margin flat, keel slightly arched. Underleaves imbricate, orbicular, 500–550 × 700–750 µm, 6–8 × stem width, weakly bifid, ca. 1/7 of underleaf length; insertion U-shaped. Autoicous. Androecia unknown. Gynoecia on branches, with lejeuneoid innovations, bracts obovate, 840 × 550 µm, apex rounded, lobule 480 × 160 µm, apex acuminate. Perianth without keels or slightly keeled, beak absent or very short. Vegetative reproduction unknown.

Distribution and habitat:—Neotropical, occurring in Costa Rica ( Schäfer-Verwimp et al. 2014), Venezuela, and Bolivia ( Bastos, 2017), Colombia ( Gradstein & Uribe, 2016), and recorded here as new to Ecuador, where its occurrence was already predicted (Gradstein 2021). This species grows hanging on tree trunks and branches in the study area, mainly in upper montane rainforest and grass páramos, between 2500–3550 m, in the Magdalena and Cauca provinces of the Pacific dominion, and the Páramo province of SATZ ( Fig. 5 ).

Notes:—This species can be recognized by its brown or greenish gray color, ovate leaves with an apex acute, leaf cells very prominently mammillose-papillose, underleaves very shallowly bifid (to 1/7 of leaf length), ventral merophyte 4–6 cells wide, and perianth without keels. Female plants are common but androecia are still unknown. The species can be confused with C. laevicalyx , which differs by its narrower, 2–4 cells wide ventral merophyte, cells slightly mammillose, and underleaves more deeply bifid, to 1/4–1/3 of leaf length.

Specimens examined:— COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Belmira , 3150 m, 13 November 1999, Benavidez 961 ( HUA) . Boyacá: Aquitania, Páramo de Franco , 05°30’30.6”N, 72°42’9.1”W, 3474 m, 24 March 2015, Gil-Novoa 3217 ( UPTC) . Chinavita, Páramo de Mamapacha , 3200 m, 23 March 2002, Zipa 323 A, 353 ( UPTC) . Mongua , 5°44’46.2”N, 73°42’10.3”W, 3230 m, 16 March 2015, Gil-Novoa 3056, 3084 ( UPTC) . Siachoque , 5°28’15.9”N, 73°10’17.1”W, 3527 m, 13 November 2014, Gil-Novoa 2440, 3425 ( UPTC) . ECUADOR: Zamora– Chinchipe: Reserva Biológica San Francisco , 03°58’18”S, 79°04’14”W, 1900–3000 m, May 2001, Holz 544 ( QCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Cheilolejeunea asperrima A. Cladograph of fertile plants (open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth); B. Shoot section in ventral view; C. Ventral merophyte; D. Leaf and lobule; E. Lobule; F. Underleaf; G. Leaf lobe cells with distinct trigones. Cheilolejeunea aurifera H. Cladograph of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth); I. Shoot section in ventral view; J. Underleaf and merophyte; K. Leaf and lobule; L. Underleaf; M. Lobule; N. Leaf lobe cells. Cheilolejeunea beyrichii O. Cladograph of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth) P. Shoot section in ventral view; Q-R. Ventral merophyte; S. Lobule, T. Border leaf cells; U. Leaf lobe cells. Cheilolejeunea comans V-W. Cladographs of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth); X. Shoot section in ventral view; Y. Leaf and lobule, Z. Ventral merophyte; AA. Lobule, BB. Underleaf, CC. Leaf lobe cells.

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Cheilolejeunea asperrima and C. aurifera in Pacific dominion and Páramo province.