Drepanolejeunea (Drepanolejeunea) tubana Pócs, 2021

Pócs, Tamás, 2021, Notes on the bryophytes of Madagascar 3. Six new Lejeuneaceae species, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (8), pp. 129-141 : 133

Drepanolejeunea (Drepanolejeunea) tubana Pócs , sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 A-D)

DIAGNOSIS. — The only species possessing similar leaf and underleaf shape, is Drepanolejeunea teysmannii (Gottsche) Steph. , Hedwigia 35 (3): 84, 1896 (see Fig. 3E, F ). But while Drepanolejeunea tubana sp. nov. has horizontally spreading leaves, the leaves of D. teysmannii both in wet and dry state are very obliquely inserted, forming an angle about 30° to the steem. Even more important, that while each cell of D. teysmannii on the outer leaf surface has an acute papilla, both leaf surfaces of D. tubana sp. nov. are completely smooth, lacking papillae or mamillae. From the somewhat similar Drepanolejeunea pentadactyla (Mont.) , Sp. Hepat. 5: 537, 1913 it differs by the other leaf shape, more and scattered ocelli and by its forward directed underleaf lobes.

TYPE. — Madagascar, Fianarantsoa prov., Atsinanana reg; parc National de Ranomafana. Along the N side of main road at the head the big waterfalls on the Namorona river. Dripping granitic cliffs surrounded by montane rainforest, 1080-1150 m, 21°14.70-86’ S, 47°23.82’E. S. & T. Pócs, 04126/ QD, 29.VII.2004 (holo-, EGR).

ETYMOLOGY. — Drepanolejeunea tubana sp. nov. is named in honor of the late professor Zoltán Tuba, who organized, sponsored and participated our 2004 Madagascar collecting trip.

DESCRIPTION

Pale green, 3-5 mm long, hardly branching shoots of 0.5- 0.6 mm width.

Stems

Up to 60 µm diameter, with 7 cortical cell rows, including 2 ventral merophytes.

Rhizoids

Scarcely develop.

Leaves

Contiguous, horizontally spreading, ventral margin at an angle of 60-90° to the stem, acute triangular ovate, 250-320 µm long and 200-240 µm wide, antically with (3-)5-8, postically 1-2 large, triangular teeth of 1-3 cells high and wide at base, giving the leaf a lobulate character. Lobe apex acute and mostly incurved.

Lobe cells

Subrectangular or elongate 5-6-gonal, 20-30 µm long and 15-20 µm wide, with thin walls. Small triangles and 1-2 intermediate thickenings are present on the longitudinal walls. Both dorsal and ventral surface smooth, without papillae or mamillae. Ocelli 1-5, scattered, same size and shape as average cells, in herbarium specimens with age usually disappear. Oil bodies also disappeared. Lobule near half of lobe length, ovate-lanceolate, inflated, with inflexed free margin. Therefore the lobule teeth hardly visible, both are acute, falcate and unicellular, 20-30 µm long, with only one cell between them.

Underleaves

Of about 3× stem width, with 4 cells wide, cuneate base and with forward directed, at base 2 cells wide, 5-6 cells long, acute lobes with a U-shaped sinus.

Gametoecia and vegetative reproduction

Unknown.

Figures

FIG. 3. – Drepanolejeuna tubana Pócs, sp. nov.: A, habit, ventral view; B, leaf; C, median lobe cells with 2 ocelli; D, underleaf and lobule. (All from the type). Drepanolejeunea teysmannii (Gottsche) Steph.: E, habit, ventral view; F, underleaf. (For comparison, from Thailand, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Khao Ramrone summit, Pócs 1209/G, det. S.Chantanaorrapint). Lejeunea alata Gottsche: G, perianth. (For comparison, from Madagascar, Andringitra Mts., Pócs 9473/HD). Scale bars: A, B, E, 100 µm; C, 25 µm; D, F, 50 µm; G, 200 µm.