Fossombronia wondraczekii (Corda) Dumort. ex Lindb.

Larraín, Juan, Cano, María J. & Jiménez, Juan A., 2020, New bryophyte records from the Mediterranean region of Chile, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (11), pp. 131-140 : 133-134

Fossombronia wondraczekii (Corda) Dumort. ex Lindb.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Chile. Región Metropolitana: Provincia de Maipo, Comuna de Paine, Reserva Privada Altos de Cantillana, entrada de la reserva, en suelo, 33°52’09.3”S, 70°55’20.8”W, 28.VIII.2018, X. Romero s.n. (CONC). — Región de Valparaíso: Provincia de Valparaíso, Comuna de Valparaíso, Reserva Nacional Lago Peñuelas, sector E, en suelo, 33°10’35”S, 71°28’49”W, 350 m, 9.VIII.2017, C. Gatica 1b (CONC). — Región del Maule: Provincia de Talca, Comuna de Empedrado, portón “Los Boldos” llegando a la Reserva Nacional Los Ruiles sector El Fin, en plantación de pinos, en tierra junto al camino, camping, mezclado con Bryum dichotomum y Fissidens curvatus , 35°37’11”S, 72°19’33”W, 450 m, 30.VIII.2007, J. Larraín 28467B (CONC); Comuna de Constitución, Junquillar, en fragmento de bosque de Peumus boldus y Quillaja saponaria en ladera oeste, suelo entre población de Peumus boldus , entre plantas de Plagiochasma rupestre , 35°15’55”S, 72°20’11”W, 10 m, 1.IX.2007, J. Larraín 28602B (CONC).

REMARKS

This taxon is clearly separated from the rest of Fossombronia species of Chile by the distal spore faces with conspicuous parallel lamellae. The spores size ranges between 35-45 µm, with proximal face slightly echinate, and the elaters are bispiral. The genus Fossombronia is a common component of the ephemeral bryophyte flora of central Chile, growing on disturbed, exposed soil in open dry forest habitats or dry shrublands. However, the genus is still poorly known in the country, with three new species recently described ( Hässel de Menéndez & Villagrán 2007; Müller 2017). So far, nine species of Fossombronia have been reported for Chile ( Müller 2017), four of them having lamellate distal spore faces, although none of the Chilean taxa have perfectly parallel lamellae on the distal face of spores like F. wondraczekii has.

Fossombronia wondraczekii was found either in disturbed and well conserved habitats, growing on bare soil in exposed places, mixed with other ephemeral bryophytes. This taxon has a wide world distribution, including North America, warm and temperate Europe, North Africa, Asia and Australia ( Schuster 1992a). These are the first records of this taxon for Chile and also for South America.

A complete description and illustrations of this species are given by Schuster (1992a).