Sphaerocarpos europaeus Lorb.

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 : 181-182

Sphaerocarpos europaeus Lorb.

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — Tunisia. Mogods, Bizerte Governorate, Delegation of Sejenane:Cap Serrat, with sporophyte, 37°12’17.00”N, 09°13’50.60”E, 3 m a.s.l. (site 2019-65), 08.IV.2019, Ben Osman & Hugonnot (TUN[TUN2019-68]).

REMARKS

Sphaerocarpos europaeus was collected in a swampy willow ( Salix pedicellata Desf. ) grove on mud deposited on large aerial roots.

The species is characterized by its reddish-brown spore tetrads measuring 135-170 µm in diameter. The distal surface has 4-6 large alveoli. The papillose lamellae bordering the alveolae reach 10-13µm high, and are spineless at the angles.

Ros et al. (2007) noted that Bischler (2004) reported Sphaerocarpos texanus (now considered as S. europaeus ; Hodgetts et al. 2020) in Tunisia without any details of locality and that its presence therefore requires verification. The present mention can then be considered as the first reliable citation for Tunisia. Sphaerocarpos europaeus is a Mediterranean-Atlantic species presently known in Europe and North Africa ( Ros et al. 2007).