Nine moss species new for South Africa with additional records for 14 rare or poorly known species

ABSTRACT

Introduction.

Although among the bryologically better-known countries on the African continent, fieldwork in South Africa continues to yield numerous undescribed taxa, as well as records of many species not previously recorded for the country or that are poorly known. These new records are significant for understanding local and global biodiversity patterns and the processes that produce them, and are presented here.

Results.

Nine moss species (Acaulon integrifolium Müll.Hal, Anomodon tristis (Ces.) Sull. & Lesq., Archidium dinteri (Irmsch.) Snider, Blindia magellanica Schimp., Callicostella brevipes (Broth.) Broth., Calliergonella cuspidata (Hedw.) Loeske., Eurhynchium striatum (Schreb. ex Hedw.) Schimp., Gyroweisia tenuis (Schrad ex Hedw.) Schimp., and Hennediella stanfordensis (Steere) Blockeel) are newly reported for South Africa. All of these, except A. dinteri, B. magellanica, C. brevipes, and C. cuspidata, are also new to mainland sub-Saharan Africa. Significant new records of fourteen hitherto poorly recorded species are provided, including new provincial records for eight species.

Conclusions.

The South African bryophyte flora clearly warrants considerable further research.

KEYWORDS:

• Disjunctive distributions
• rare mosses
• South African mosses

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the National Research Foundation of South Africa and to the University of Cape Town Research Committee for grants over the past 20 years that enabled field studies, as well as to the numerous Nature Reserves and private landowners that granted me access to their property.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Terry A. Hedderson

Terry Hedderson is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Cape Town. He specialises in systematics, biogeography and phylogeography, with a strong focus on African mosses, especially those of the Greater Cape Floristic Region.