Bryophytes from four mountains in northern Greece, including Mannia gracilis and eight other species new to Greece, and a note on an extreme form of Pohlia elongata var. greenii

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Bryological knowledge of the mountains of mainland Greece remained very fragmentary until the later part of the twentieth century, but increased exploration in recent years has begun to document the flora and produced significant records.

Methods. As part of ongoing studies on the Greek bryophyte flora, the author, accompanied by Marko Sabovljević, visited four mountains in Northern Greece (Mt Timfi, Mt Varnous, Mt Voras, Mt Vermio) in 2003 to record the bryophytes. Further collections were made by the author in 2017–2019.

Key results. Nine species new for Greece are reported from the author’s collections: Diplophyllum taxifolium, Mannia gracilis, Scapania subalpina, Solenostoma confertissimum, Bryum creberrimum, Rhizomnium pseudopunctatum, Roaldia dolomitica, Serpoleskea confervoides and Sphagnum flexuosum. Three further species, Metzgeria pubescens, Scapania cuspiduligera and Grimmia unicolor, are formally documented for the country. Previous reports of Scapania subalpina and Serpoleskea confervoides in Greece are erroneous. The presence of Diplophyllum obtusifolium on Mt Voras is doubtful, but it has been found recently in the Greek Rhodope Mountains. An extreme form of Pohlia elongata var. greenii, a variety which is new for Greece, is discussed and illustrated.

KEYWORDS:

• Liverworts
• Mosses
• Timfi
• Varnous
• Vermio
• Voras

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Marko Sabovljević, who accompanied me on the visit to Greece in 2003. His participation was supported by a grant from the Bequest Fund of the British Bryological Society. I also thank Hans Blom, Mark Hill, David Holyoak, Francisco Lara, David Long, J. David Orgaz, and the late Eva Maier and Jiri Váňa for their assistance in identifying specimens, and David Bell and Jan Kučera for sequencing material of Pohlia elongata var. greenii and Roaldia dolomitica respectively. Beáta Papp kindly provided specimens on loan from the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest (BP), Frau Barbara Düll sent material from the late Prof. Düll’s herbarium, and Michael Lüth provided information on his specimens from Mt Timfi.

Notes on contributor

Thomas (Tom) Blockeel read Classical History and Literature at Oxford University, where he graduated in 1972. He is an independent researcher with a lifelong interest in bryophytes, especially concerning taxonomy and floristics. In addition to his studies on the British and Irish flora, he has explored many parts of Greece and published widely on the bryophytes of that country.