Lophocolea caledonica Steph.

(Fig. 24)

Species Hepaticarum 6: 267 (Stephani 1922). — Chiloscyphus leratii J.J.Engel & R.M.Schust., Nova Hedwigia 39: 418 (Engel & Schuster 1984 [1985]).

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Type: New Caledonia. “ Lerat ” s.n. (lecto-, here designated, G [“prope summo Mt. Mou ”, XI.1908, Le Rat 210, G00112967]!; isolecto-, REN [herb. E. G. Paris]!).

FURTHER SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. South Province, Païta, Humboldt massif, on the trail toward the hut, on rock in cloud forest, 30.IX.2008, Thouvenot NC3338.

DISTRIBUTION IN NEW CALEDONIA. — Lophocolea caledonica was found at highest elevations in the peridotite massifs of South Province, only known from the type specimen and a single recent collection.

TOTAL RANGE. — Endemic.

DESCRIPTION

Dioecious.

Habit

Plant small, shoots 1.50 mm wide, leaves narrowly imbricate, spreading, alternate, dorsally free.

Leaves

Widely oval to oblong, 0.70-0.80 mm long, 0.50-0.60 mm wide, apices usually truncate to retuse, the margins densely spinose-toothed around apices and distal parts of ventral and dorsal margins, both leaf surfaces smooth.

Cells

Leaf cells small, 16-20 µm, with conspicuous nodulose trigones.

Underleaves

Narrowly decurrent on one side but free from connation with the leaves, obconical, apices deeply bifid with lunate sinuses, lobes triangular lanceolate, lobes and lateral margins with teeth like the leaves.

Gametangia

Androecia at the end of normal leafy shoots or abbreviated leafless branches, ventral-lateral, with 3-5 pairs of bracts, rectangular, spinose-toothed at apices, the bases of the dorsal margins recurved and saccate; gynoecia at the end of normal leafy shoots, 2 pairs of bracts similar in shape to normal vegetative leaves but larger, 1.10 mm long, 0.60 mm wide; bracteoles smaller, 0.50-0.70 mm long, 0.35-0.40 mm wide, ovate, 1/2 or more bifid, sinus narrow, lobes oblong to lanceolate, often divided in secondary lobes, the upper margins toothed-laciniate; perianth elongate, basal half cylindrical, upper half trigone, not winged, mouth trilobed, sinus depth 1/3 the length of the whole perianth, lobes oval to lanceolate, subdivided by several deep cuts, margins sharply and densely toothed, the surface of the perianth sparsely bristled with short spikes, usually 1 (-2) cell long.

COMMENTS

Lophocolea caledonica is a very distinct, elegant species with all leaves and underleaves finely spinose-toothed. Unfortunately, the type specimen is sterile as underlined by Stephani (1922). In the herbarium of E. G. Paris (REN), the author found part of the original specimen examined by Stephani with well-developed gametangia. The position of the gynoecia at the end of normal leafy shoots confirms its assignment to Lophocolea, together with vegetative characters, i.e., underleaves free, bifid, leaf apices emarginate. This species resembles the Australasian species of the Lophocolea section Microlophocolea Spruce (Engel 2010 as Chiloscyphus subg. Microlophocolea) especially L. muricata (Lehm.) Nees (see below). They share: 1) sizes of shoots, leaves, underleaves and cells; 2) leaf and underleaf shapes; and 3) margin ornamentations. Lophocolea caledonica differs from all the Australasian species of this section in the leaves smooth on both faces instead of armed with numerous conspicuous teeth on one or both surfaces.