Cheilolejeunea cyrtolejeuneoides C.J. Bastos & Schäf.

Bastos, Cid José Passos & Schäfer-Verwimp, A., 2017, Three new species of Cheilolejeunea (Spruce) Steph. (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta) from Neotropics, Phytotaxa 299 (1), pp. 66-76 : 66-67

Cheilolejeunea cyrtolejeuneoides C.J. Bastos & Schäf. -Verw., sp. nov. Fig. 1 , pl. 1

Similar to Cheilolejeunea holostipa , and C. insecta but differing by deeply bifid underleaves, 2‒3 coarsely segmented oil bodies per cell, second tooth (apical tooth) slightly falcate, autoicous plants.

Type:― BRAZIL: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Serra de Caparaó , Bergregenwald bei der “Cachoeira Bonita” am rechten Ufer des Rio José Pedro , auf feucht-schattigem Gestein , 1850 m, 26 Jul. 1987, Schäfer-Verwimp & Verwimp 8917 (holotype JE; isotypes ALCB; SP) .

Plants small, 490‒710 μm wide, up to 5‒6 mm long, vegetative branches Lejeunea -type. Stem width 60 μm in diameter, in cross section with 7(‒8) cortical cells and 6‒7(‒8) medullary cells. Ventral merophytes two cells wide. Leaves spreading, contiguous to imbricate; lobe ovate, slightly falcate, 290‒340 μm long × 240‒280 μm wide, dorsal margin arched, smooth, ventral margin slightly arched, forming an angle with keel, smooth, apex rounded; basal cells oblong, 30 μm long × 15 μm wide, median cells oblong, 20 μm long × 13 μm wide, thin walled, trigones large, intermediate thickenings occasional; mostly 2‒3 coarsely segmented oil bodies per cell, in young leaves oil bodies completely filling the cell lumen (noted for paratype specimen 13499); ocelli absent; lobule ovate, strongly inflated, 160‒200 μm long × 100 ‒ 120 μm wide, free margin involute to plane composed by elongate cells, second tooth elongated, hyaline, spinulose, hyaline papilla at distal base of second tooth, apical margin oblique, involute, keel arched, smooth to slightly crenulate. Underleaves small, (120‒)130 ‒ 180 μm long × (100‒)130‒140 μm wide, distant, orbicular to ovate, bifid to 1/2, sinus acute, base cuneate, insertion line curved. Androecia apical or on lateral branches, 2‒4 pairs, bracteole at base of the branch. Gynoecium terminal, innovation pycnolejeuneoid, lobe bracts obovate, 400 μm long × 300 μm wide, margin entire, bracteole bifid, oblong, 490 μm long × 230 μm wide, margin entire, perianth obovate, 690 μm long × 420 μm wide, rostrum long, 60 μm long × 50 μm wide.

Additional material examined:― BRAZIL. Santa Catarina, Passstraβe Urubici-Grão Pará, an sickerfeuchtem Fels wenig unterhalb der Passhöhe, 1110 m, 28°00’S, 49°21’W, 30 Dec. 1990, Schäfer-Verwimp & Verwimp 13499 ( ALCB; SP; hb. Schäfer-Verwimp) .

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the similarity with members of Cheilolejeunea sect. Cyrtolejeunea (Evans 1903: 533) Ye, Gradstein & Zhu in Ye et al. (2015: 324).

Distribution and ecology: The new species seems to be restricted to the South and Southeast Brazil. Unlike other recently described species for Brazil, which were from Bahia ( C. lacerata Bastos et Gradstein (2006: 133) , C. ornata Bastos (2011: 86)) , Minas Gerais ( C. laciniata Peralta & Reiner-Drehwald (2013: 54)) , and Amazonas ( C. amazonica Bastos & Zartman (2016: 15)) , this is the first species described from Espírito Santo and Santa Catarina. Cheilolejeunea cyrtolejeuneoides is growing on humid shady rocks which may be sometimes irrigated, in low woody vegetation along a stream (holotype) and on shady rocky slope at roadside (13499) between 1100 and 1850 m.a.s.l. In the holotype collection several plants of Neurolejeunea breutelii (Gottsche in Gottsche et al. 1845: 324) Evans (1907: 13) are admixed beside a few plants of a small Plagiochila and a single young plant of Rhodobryum . The plants of the paratype collection are growing on and between Riccardia regnelli ( Ångström 1876: 90) Hell (1969: 110) and a species of cyanobacteria (cf. Schizothrix ); a few plants of Harpalejeunea subacuta Evans (1903: 547) (c. per.) could also be found.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cheilolejeunea cyrtolejeuneoides C.J. Bastos & Schäf.-Verw.A: upper part of plant with two perianths and androecia. B: part of plant with androecia. C, D: cross sections of stem. E: detail of leaf lobule. F: leaf lobe with lobule. G, J: two underleaves. H, I: female bracts and bracteole. K: central basal leaf cells. L: cells of upper central part of perianth. M: central leaf cells. N: apical leaf cells. (Figs. A, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N from holotype, B, C, D, J, K from paratype). Scale bar: 400 μm for A, B; 90 μm for C, D, K, L, N; 100 μm for E, F, G, J; 350 μm for H, I; 25 μm for M. Drawing by A. Schäfer-Verwimp.