Heteroscyphus diestianus (Sande Lac.) Piippo

Thouvenot, Louis & Müller, Frank, 2021, Contribution to the bryophyte flora of New Caledonia IV. Species new to the country, new localities together with taxonomic notes, Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (13), pp. 181-196 : 186

* Heteroscyphus diestianus (Sande Lac.) Piippo

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. South Province, Nouméa 45 km N, Mont Humboldt, ascend from the mountain hut below the summit to the summit, 21°53’S, 166°25’E, epiphytic in shrubland, c. 1600 m, 31.VIII.2003, F. Müller NC803 (DR, herb. Thouvenot).

COMMENTS

The species is characterized by large, reniform, convex, unlobed underleaves, merely with two short and distant teeth at the apex and with larger teeth at lateral margins. The underleaves are connate with the leaves and the apex is distinctly recurved. The teeth of the leaves are (almost) restricted to leaf bases, otherwise, the leaves are entire. The leaf cells are characterized by very large trigones and distinct pores, and they are clearly mammillose ( Piippo 1989).

The species was hitherto known from Indonesia (Borneo, Banca, Sumatra), Malaysia (Sabah), and Papua New Guinea ( Piippo 1993). The type locality is in Banca Island near Sumatra. With the record in New Caledonia, the distribution area is expanded to Oceania.