Microbryum fosbergii (E.B.Bartram) Ros, O.Werner & Rams

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 : 136

Microbryum fosbergii (E.B.Bartram) Ros, O.Werner & Rams

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — Chile. Región de Coquimbo: Provincia de Elqui, Comuna de Coquimbo, Hacienda El Tangue, al S de Puerto Aldea por Ruta D-516, justo antes de las casas de la hacienda, en cortes de tierra del camino vehicular, en suelo abierto, 30°20’50.0”S, 71°32’56.1”W, 87 m, 29.VII.2017, J. Larraín 41957 (CONC, MUB).

REMARKS

This taxon is considered a variety of M. starckeanum (Hedw.) R.H.Zander by Zander (1993, 2007a), being the only (but consistent) differences the cleistocarpic capsules and lack of peristome seen in M. fosbergii , which lead Bartram (1930) to describe this new taxon from Californian plants. The studied specimen has consistently cleistocarpic capsules, with just six stomata located at the base, spores c. 25 µm, with tall warts, setae c. 3 mm tall, and plants very small, less than 2 mm tall. Only one species of the genus Microbryum , M. davallianum (Sm.) R.H.Zander , has been previously reported from Chile ( Cano & Gallego 2008). However, it has proven to be a quite common component of the winter ephemeral bryophyte flora of central Chile. In this genus, sterile specimens might be impossible to identify solely on morphology.

The only collection of this taxon so far found in central Chile was growing on dry soil banks on road cuts near the sea shore, at 87 m a.s.l. This species has been reported only for California, New Mexico, Baja California and the Iberian Peninsula ( Bartram 1930; Ros et al. 2005; Allred 2011), so this is the first record of this taxon for South America.

A complete description and illustrations of this species are given by Bartram (1930), and Ros & Werner (2006).