Saccogynidium rigidulum (Nees) Grolle

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 : 182

* Saccogynidium rigidulum (Nees) Grolle

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. North Province, Hienghène, Payolé, Panié Massif, on the bark at the trunk base of a tree in cloud forest, 1400 m, 9.X.2012, Thouvenot NC2564 PC[(PC0712102)]. Saccogynidium muricellum : New Caledonia. North Province, Tango plateau, Napupwa, on dead wood in a degraded wet forest, 506 m, 20.IX.2019, Thouvenot NC2831 PC[(PC0779845)].

COMMENTS

The only Saccogynidium hitherto known in New Caledonia was S. muricellum (De Not.) Grolle from which S. rigidulum can be separated by the larger underleaves, 2-3× the stem width, the free surface of the cell walls densely papillose with papillae higher and narrower, and strong globose trigones at the cell angles. This specimen complements the geographical range of this species, new to New Caledonia, which covers a large area of the Eastern and Southern Pacific: Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines, Melanesia, Oceania ( Piippo 1985).