Fissidens ovatifolius R.Ruthe

Osman, Imen Ben, Hugonnot, Vincent, Muller, Serge D. & Daoud-Bouattour, Amina, 2022, New bryophytes for Tunisia (North Africa). Part 2: other families, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (11), pp. 173-185 : 179

Fissidens ovatifolius R.Ruthe

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Tunisia. Kroumiria, Jendouba Governorate, Delegation of Fernana: Oued Zen, with sporophytes, 36°48’43.08”N, 08°50’41.33”E, 394 m a.s.l. (site 2019-20), 04.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-399]); Mogods, Beja Governorate, Delegation of Nefza: Cap Negro, with sporophytes, 37°06’05.06”N, 08°59’07.00”E, 10 m a.s.l. (site 2019-74), 09.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-297]); Khorguelia, with sporophytes, 37°04’35.24”N, 09°03’32.75”E, 93 m a.s.l. (site 2019-79), 09.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-295]); Mogods, Bizerte Governorate, Delegation Tinja: Jbel Ichkeul, with sporophytes, 37°08’04.52”N, 09°40’49.64”E, 65 m a.s.l. (site 2019- 93), 11.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-428]).

REMARKS

Fissidens ovatifolius was collected on well-drained detritic soil from a thermophilic coastal scrubland (Cap Negro), and from the banks of a wadi colonized by a Quercus canariensis and Phillyrea media L. woodland (Khorguelia). In the northern Mediterranean basin, this moss grows on calcareous and siliceous soils and in wet rock crevices, which is comparable to its ecology in Tunisia. It also grows on humid rocks at low altitudes ( Guerra & Ederra 2015; IUCN 2019).

The species is characterized by leaves whose conduplicate part is half the length of the leaf, bordered by narrow, elongated cells at least in some part of the lamina. The dorsal lamina does not reach the leaf base.

Fissidens ovatifolius is a Mediterranean species found primarily albeit rarely in the Mediterranean basin, including Algeria and Morocco ( Ros et al. 2013). This species is thought to be under-recorded and could be far more widespread than is currently known ( IUCN 2019).