Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx (Jack & Stephani) Grolle (1988: 403)

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 : 97-99

17. Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx (Jack & Stephani) Grolle (1988: 403) .—

Strepsilejeunea laevicalyx Jack & Stephani (in Stephani 1913: 283).

Type:— COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Páramo de Sonson, 3300 m, Wallis 1872 (G, lectotype designated by Grolle 1988).— Fig. 12A–I .

Cheilolejeunea invaginata Schuster (1978: 427) syn. fide Gradstein & Bastos (2021)

Plants yellowish to light brown, 1–1.5 mm wide. Stems in cross section 130–150 µm in diameter, 8–12 epidermal cells, 24–40 × 12–20 µm; 15–20 medullary cells, 8–20 × 6–15 µm. Ventral merophytes 2–4 cells wide. Leaves imbricate to subimbricate, ovate to oblong-orbicular, 720–900 × 500–550 µm, convex, apex recurved, margin entire and apex acute, ventral margin curved; cells hexagonal, smooth to slightly mammillose on the dorsal side, trigones inconspicuous to conspicuous; basal cells 18–40 × 10–22 µm, median cells 12–30 × 11–16 µm, marginal cells 9–16 × 10–14 µm. Lobules trapezoid-rectangular to oblong, 1/3–2/5 of leaf length, free margin flat, generally with two teeth, first tooth blunt, second tooth usually indistinct. Underleaves remote to contiguous, orbicular to ovate, 300–530 × 300–550 µm, 3–5 × stem width, bifid to 1/4–1/3 with a V-shaped sinus, margin entire, bases cuneate to slightly rounded. Autoicous. Androecia on the main stem, with 1–3 pairs of bracts orbicular. Gynoecia on the main stem or on branches, with lejeuneoid innovations, bracts obovate, 800 × 550 µm, apex acute, lobule 350 × 110 µm, apex acuminate; bracteoles oblong 800 × 550 µm, bifid to 1/5. Perianth 4-keeled to terete, obovate to elongate pyriform, beak absent or very short. Vegetative reproduction unknown.

Distribution and habitat:—Andean, occurring in the northern and central Andes, in Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia ( Zhu 2006, Gradstein & Bastos 2021). This species grows on tree trunks and the branches of shrubs in the study area, in upper montane rainforest and grass páramos, between 2500–3600 m, in the Magdalena province of the Pacific dominion, and in the Páramo province of SATZ ( Fig. 13 ).

Notes:—Recognized by the rather robust plants, yellowish to light brown, with merophyte 2–4 cells wide, leaves recurved at the apex, apex acute, with smooth cells with inconspicuous trigones. Morphologically resembles C. erostrata , although C. laevicalyx has inconspicuous trigones, underleaf bases cuneate to slightly rounded (not Ushaped), and lejeuneoid innovations (not pycnolejeuneoid).

In their description of C. laevicalyx, Gradstein & Bastos (2021) noted the presence of the species in Costa Rica. We studied one specimen in the ALCB herbarium from Costa Rica that had previously been identified as C. laevicalyx – it actually belongs to C. lobulata . Therefore, we consider the record of the species from Costa Rica as doubtful.

Specimens examined:— COLOMBIA. Boyacá: Aquitania, páramo de Toquilla , 5°31’12.5’’ N, 72°49’16.3’’ W, 3066 m, 7 December 2021, Gil-Novoa & Costa, 3677 ( UPTC); Ventaquemada, Páramo de Rabanal , 05°24’53,3”N, 73°32’35,6”W, 3330 m, 15 February 2019, Acosta 112, 115 ( UPTC); 8-10 January 2015, Hernández-Ruiz 47, 71, 87, 122, 129, 271 ( UPTC). Cundinamarca: Bogotá, Ciudad Bolivar , May 2014, Cabrera 1716A-2, 1786A-2, 1788A-1 ( JBB); Páramo El Tablazo , 3500 m, 20 October 1988, Thiers 5494, 5504 ( NY), 20 December 1988, Schuster 88-982 ( COL).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx A-B. Cladographs of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth); C. Shoot with gynoecia in ventral view; D. Shoot section in ventral view; E. Ventral merophyte; F. Leaf and lobule; G. Lobule; H. Underleaf; I. Leaf lobe cells with trigones; Cheilolejeunea lineata J-K. Cladographs of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth); L. Shoot section in ventral view; M. Ventral merophyte and underleaves; N. Leaf and lobule; O. Lobule; P. Border leaf cells; Q. Underleaf; R. Leaf lobe cells with trigones. Cheilolejeunea lobulata S. Cladograph of fertile plants (solid ellipse = androecia, open ellipse = gynoecia with perianth, U= gynoecia without perianth); T. Shoot with gynoecia in ventral view; U. Perianth; V. Shoot with androecia W. Ventral merophyte; X. Apex of lobule; Y. Underleaves; Z. Leaf lobe cells with trigones. Cheilolejeunea norisiae AA. Shoot section in ventral view; BB. Ventral merophyte; CC. Leaf and lobule; DD. Underleaves; EE. Leaf lobe cells with trigones.

FIGURE 13. Distribution of Cheilolejeunea laevicalyx, C. lineata, C. lobulata, C. norisiae, and C. ornata in Pacific dominion and Páramo province.