Cololejeunea translucens Pócs, 2021

Pócs, Tamás, 2021, Notes on the bryophytes of Madagascar 3. Six new Lejeuneaceae species, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (8), pp. 129-141 : 130-133

Cololejeunea translucens Pócs , sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Subgenus Leptocolea (Spruce) Schiffn.

DIAGNOSIS. — It stands quite isolated with its spinose-dentate female bracts and perianth and acuminate and distantly dentate leaves. The Indomalesian-South Pacific Cololejeunea decliviloba Steph. (Sp. Hep. 5: 890, 1915; Steph. Icones 1985: 12185; see also Jones 1953:159 and Tixier 1979: 768), seems to be closely related, but C. translucens sp. nov. differs by its much more symmetric lobe shape and by its lobe cells with very small trigones, finally by its smaller lobule reaching only one third of lobe length. The African Cololejeunea dentata (E.W.Jones) R.M. Schust, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 9: 175, 1963 has similar leaves but its female bracts and perianth completely differ with their entire margins.

TYPE. — Madagascar, Fianarantsroa prov., Haute Matsiatra reg., Parc national de l’Andringitra. Mossy montane rainforest along a W tributary of Korokoro river, near camp III, 1000-1270 m, epiphyllous, 22°12’40”S, 47°0’E, T. Pócs, G. Kis & A. Szabó, 9473/ GR, 20-23.IX.1994 (holo-, EGR).

ETYMOLOGY. — The name expresses its shiny, translucent habit.

DESCRIPTION

Dry specimens shiny, translucent, small, epiphyllous. Shoot more or less appressed to the leaf surface, up to 5 mm long and 0.8 mm wide, densely and irregularly branching.

Stem

35-56 µm thick with 1 ventral merophyte, composed of 5 cortical and one medullar cell rows.

Rhizoids

Originate at each leaf basis, colorless, in irregular bundles.

Leaves

Distant, symmetric obovate up to 400µm length and 300µm width. Lobe acuminate with 6-10 remote, unicelled, triangular teeth all along of its margin. Lobule about one third of lobe length, ovate, with a larger, bicellular first tooth ending in a round cell and an unicellular, triangular second tooth.

Hyaline papilla at the proximal base of first tooth. There are only 1-2 cells at the distal lobule end between the first tooth and lobe margin. The free lobule margin consists of 6-8 cells behind the second tooth.

Autoicous

Male branches hanging on the stem, subglobose and consist of 1:3 pairs of very concave, acuminate bracts.

Archegonia

Also on short lateral (sometimes apical) branches.

Female bracts

Cuneate, with 1-3 apical teeth, reaching to three third or subequal to the perianth.

Perianth

Cordate, compressed, ventrally inflated. The two side keels with mamillose apical teeth. Beak short or inconspicuous, only one cell high. Sporophyte and ways of vegetative reproduction not seen.

Figures

FIG. 2. – Cololejeunea translucens Pócs, sp. nov.: A, leaf; B, lobule; C, rhizoids; D-E, female branches with perianth and bract; F, lobe apex; G, median lobe cells. (All from the type). Scale bars: A, C-E, 100 µm; B, 50 µm; F, G, 25 µm.