Bryophyte Exploration of South-West Sichuan, China

BryophytesAbroad

was to be collection of herbarium specimens and June 1914 (Huili, Dechang, Xichang, Zhaojue & Higuchi, 2006). However, numerous Chinese seed of plants of potential horticultural interest, and Yanyuan Counties) and again from 23 bryologists have collected in Sichuan, sometimes but I was able to focus on bryophytes. My col- July to 11 August 1915 (to Yanyuan and Muli in collaboration with the American bryologists leagues were two horticultural staff members Counties). His bryophyte collections are enum- S. He and P.L. Redfearn, and their collections from RBGE, John Mitchell (expedition leader) erated by Brotherus (1929), Nicholson et al. have been widely utilized in compilation of and Ross Irvine, and David Wallbridge who had (1930) and Piippo et al. (1997), and were the recent Chinese bryophyte floras such as Wu & just finished his horticulture training at RBG first bryophytes to be collected in Sichuan. Since Wang (2000). Bryophytes known from Sichuan Kew, and had secured his funded place on the that time relatively few non-Chinese bryologists province are enumerated in the checklists of expedition by open competition. appear to have collected in Sichuan. A Finnish/ Piippo (1990) and Redfearn et al. (1996). Thus Chinese expedition visited north-west Sichuan much is known about Sichuan bryophytes, but Sichuan Province in 1991 which resulted in a liverwort checklist as with almost all of China, many regions are Sichuan is a large province covering 220,000 for the province (Piippo et al. 1997). M. Higuchi poorly explored and new discoveries will always square miles, with a population of over 110 and colleagues from the National Science result from careful fieldwork. million people. Many of these live in the central Museum, Tokyo, visited Sichuan in 1996 and Chengdu Plain, a rich agricultural and industrial reported the discovery of a new liverwort species, The 2010 expedition basin. Sichuan has around 9,000 native species Exormotheca bischleri Furuki & Higuchi (Furuki On 25 August we flew to Chengdu, capital of of higher plants, about one-third of the Chinese Sichuan, where we met our Chinese colleagues total. It has many rich and biodiverse forests, m Limestone mountains north of Jiulong. D. Long who had driven up in two 4× 4 vehicles from for example the network of Panda reserves such b A Tibetan village lady at Pengbuxi. D. Long Kunming – Dr Meng Ying, a specialist on Poly-

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ver the past 20 years the Royal as Wolong. It also has several big mountains, Botanic Garden Edinburgh including the famous ‘Minya Konka’ (now (RBGE) has been involved with Gongga Shan, 7,556 m) at one time claimed many botanical expeditions to by the explorer Joseph Rock to be the highest Yunnan Province in south-west mountain in the world. Our study area lay on OChina, organized through our ‘twinning’ agree- the Tibetan plateau south-west of Chengdu and ment with the Kunming Institute of Botany in included the catchments of three large rivers – Yunnan. In 2010, our colleagues in the institute the Yalong Jiang, Litang Qu and Shuiluo He, all offered to organize an autumn expedition to of which flow south eventually to join the Jinsha south-west Sichuan Province, to the north of Jiang (Yangtze River). Yunnan – part of the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau and the Hengduan Mountains, the eastern Past bryological exploration of Sichuan Following his report from the Gaoligong Shan mountains in the extension of the Himalaya. Thanks to generous The Austrian Heinrich Handel-Mazzetti during October 2008 issue of Field Bryology (96), David Long takes funding from The Royal Horticultural Society, his stay in China from 1914 to 1918 visited Alpine Garden Society and other sponsors, four Sichuan twice, travelling north from his base us a little further north on another bryological adventure in of us set out for China on 25 August 2010 for over near Lijiang in Yunnan Province, to the southern south-west Sichuan. a month. The primary focus of the expedition counties of Sichuan, between 21 March and 23 Bryophyte exploration of South-west Sichuan, China was to be collection of herbarium specimens and June 1914 (Huili, Dechang, Xichang, Zhaojue & Higuchi, 2006). However, numerous Chinese seed of plants of potential horticultural interest, and Yanyuan Counties) and again from 23 bryologists have collected in Sichuan, sometimes but I was able to focus on bryophytes. My col- July to 11 August 1915 (to Yanyuan and Muli in collaboration with the American bryologists leagues were two horticultural staff members Counties). His bryophyte collections are enum- S. He and P.L. Redfearn, and their collections from RBGE, John Mitchell (expedition leader) erated by Brotherus (1929), Nicholson et al. have been widely utilized in compilation of and Ross Irvine, and David Wallbridge who had (1930) and Piippo et al. (1997), and were the recent Chinese bryophyte floras such as Wu & just finished his horticulture training at RBG first bryophytes to be collected in Sichuan. Since Wang (2000). Bryophytes known from Sichuan Kew, and had secured his funded place on the that time relatively few non-Chinese bryologists province are enumerated in the checklists of expedition by open competition. appear to have collected in Sichuan. A Finnish/ Piippo (1990) and Redfearn et al. (1996). Thus Chinese expedition visited north-west Sichuan much is known about Sichuan bryophytes, but Sichuan Province in 1991 which resulted in a liverwort checklist as with almost all of China, many regions are Sichuan is a large province covering 220,000 for the province (Piippo et al. 1997). M. Higuchi poorly explored and new discoveries will always square miles, with a population of over 110 and colleagues from the National Science result from careful fieldwork. million people. Many of these live in the central Museum, Tokyo, visited Sichuan in 1996 and Chengdu Plain, a rich agricultural and industrial reported the discovery of a new liverwort species, The 2010 expedition basin. Sichuan has around 9,000 native species Exormotheca bischleri Furuki & Higuchi (Furuki On 25 August we flew to Chengdu, capital of of higher plants, about one-third of the Chinese Sichuan, where we met our Chinese colleagues total. It has many rich and biodiverse forests, m Limestone mountains north of Jiulong. D. Long who had driven up in two 4× 4 vehicles from for example the network of Panda reserves such b A Tibetan village lady at Pengbuxi. D. Long Kunming – Dr Meng Ying, a specialist on Poly-

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b Far left. The expedition group: from left to right Ross Irvine, David Long, Liu Ya-Hui, Mr Zhang (driver), Mr Baima (driver), John Mitchell, Dr Meng Ying, Deng Tao and David Wallbridge. D. Long b Centre. Collecting on limestone scree on the Jichou Pass north of Jiulong. D. Long b Left. Expedition vehicles near Take. D. Long

three broad groups, broadleaf forests and scrub, gonatum, and two of her students, Deng Tao and through a beautiful conifer-dominated forests and alpine vegetation. Liu Ya-Hui. They proved to be exceptionally able mountain landscape The bryophyte interest of these three zones is organizers and field botanists, and along with at over 4,000 m on outlined below, although in many localities these two drivers made up a very enthusiastic and lively the route to the huge habitats intergraded, for example some temperate team. After some last-minute shopping we set Genyen Shan (which broadleaf forests may have had conifers removed off westwards on the Chengdu–Lhasa highway, we never saw due to by logging, and effects of grazing and burning at first a new motorway but later a normal but cloud). After leaving have often transformed forests into scrub or very busy road with lots of big trucks and big Litang, we headed grassland. Consequently, the bryophytes often potholes. Our first stop was in Moxi, close to south along the valleys overlap between these broad habitat types. the huge Gongga Shan mountain, clothed at of the Litang Qu and lower elevations in wet broadleaf forest, but our Shuiluo He rivers and Broadleaf forests and scrub permits did not allow collecting in the nature their tributaries to the remote outposts of Xiang- and data written up in a notebook. Selected Wet mossy broadleaf forests were relatively reserve other than along the roadside. Our next cheng and Daocheng, quite close to the Yunnan liverworts were cleaned and placed in small rare; those we encountered occurred between stop was Kangding, a large town tightly wedged border. As we could not complete the planned ziplock bags with silica gel for DNA extraction. 2,780 and 4,000 m on Erlang Shan, Gaversi in a steep-sided gorge with cloud-shrouded southern loop (part of the road proved to be non- Packets were dried using cool air by means of Shan and south of Jiulong, and were dominated mountains all around, then west to cross the existent) we retraced our route to Xinduqiao, two electric fans. No heat drying was used (in by Acer, Rhododendron, Viburnum, Ribes, etc. Zheduo Shan pass at 4,996 m altitude – we were then south again to Jiulong, our final destination. contrast to vascular plants). When dry, packets Moss epiphytes were relatively few, with the now truly into an alpine landscape of granite Jiulong County proved to be a wonderful area were bundled in A4-sized ziplock bags and rarity of families Meteoriaceae, Pterobryaceae rocks and screes and dwarf Rhododendron heath, with beautiful Tibetan villages, friendly people, packed into cardboard boxes for shipment. Two and Neckeraceae a particularly striking contrast vegetation we were to experience regularly over richly forested valleys and, best of all, a high pass batches were mailed to Kunming and the final with Yunnan, and also limited numbers of the next 4 weeks. across limestone mountains with extensive mossy batch was taken by car. The whole collection was species of leafy liverworts such as Metacalypogeia We then continued west, crossing the extensive cliffs and screes – a superb botanical finale. finally mailed to Edinburgh from Kunming for alternifolia, Frullania, Herbertus, Lepidozia, flat plain of the Tagong Grasslands grazed by sorting, packeting, labelling and identification. Plagiochila and Bazzania, and no epiphyllous innumerable yaks to the small town of Xinduqiao Collecting methods 738 bryophyte collections were made over 22 Lejeuneaceae. Species such as Conocephalum where we reached the real edge of the Qinghai– Bryophytes were collected in the field into folded days in the field, between 25 August and 25 japonicum and Hookeria acutifolia, frequent in Tibet plateau. Still following the Chengdu– packets made from ‘rite-in-the-rain’ paper. September, consisting of 503 mosses and 235 Yunnan, were rare. Large mosses were abundant Lhasa highway, our next stops were in Yajiang, Enough for two to four (or more) duplicates of liverworts, but no hornworts. in the ground layer including Dicranum, then Litang, the latter a truly Tibetan town each collection was collected where possible in Hylocomium, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus and with a picturesque reconstructed monastery; we the field. Notes on locality, habitat and substrate Main habitats and their bryophytes Rhodobryum ontariense. stayed in the friendly Potala Hotel for several were recorded on the packets, and GPS readings The expedition investigated habitats largely Most other broadleaf forests encountered were enjoyable days. Day trips south and west of and altitudes recorded in a notebook. Each in the cool temperate and alpine zones, from rather dry in character, with small sclerophyll Litang included a couple of days on a new road evening, specimens were sorted and cleaned, 2,780 to 4,900 m altitude. The habitats fall into trees such as Quercus semecarpifolia which were

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often reduced to scrub by grazing. These had in other areas Larch (Larix). These forests always a limited ground bryoflora with Abietinella contained an understorey of smaller woody abietina, Entodon, Hypnum, Rhytidium rugosum, broadleaves, such as Acer, Betula, Rhododendron, Thuidium, etc. and noticeably few leafy liver- and Sorbus species, etc., and were best-developed worts. However, the tree trunks and branches in areas south-west of Litang, around Daocheng, of shrubs had interesting epiphytes such as several parts of Jiulong County and north of Orthotrichum, Ulota (two species which are new Kangding. These forests were humid and had a to science), Leucodon secundus and Zygodon. rich development of bryophytes on the ground, Rock outcrops amongst scrub, especially on on living trees and logs, and on rocks and along the more basic schists and slate, had interesting streamsides. Larger terrestrial mosses included 3 4 5 thalloid liverworts such as Asterella leptophylla, Actinothuidium hookeri, Hypnum, Dicranum, Conocephalum salebrosum, Mannia californica, Hylocomium, Neckera, Polytrichum, Ptilium Reboulia hemisphaerica, Plagiochasma and crista-castrensis, Rhodobryum ontariense and Targionia hypophylla. Boulders amongst the scrub Rhytidiadelphus. often had Grimmia and Racomitrium species, as Epiphytes were frequent, for example the yet unidentified, andHedwigia ciliata. leafy liverworts Bazzania, Herbertus, Plagiochila, Two valleys with relatively dry scrub (between Scapania, Lophozia and Frullania, and the Jiawa and Mula, and east of Daocheng) were mosses Dicranum, Leucodon secundus, Neckera, especially interesting with damp mossy banks Pseudoleskea, Paraleucobryum, Ulota (sp. nov.) under the shrubs with a very rich assemblage of and Zygodon. In only one forest south of Jiulong liverworts, including Aitchisoniella himalayensis, larger liverworts such as Anastrepta orcadensis 6 Asterella leptophylla, Exormotheca bischleri, were more in evidence, especially a large Mannia californica, Plagiochasma sp., Preissia sp., Scapania species and Anastrophyllum alpinum Reboulia hemisphaerica and several Riccia spp. on the mossy base of a Rhododendron. On rotten ThePreissia may be a completely new species with stumps and logs Buxbaumia punctata was found very large flat-topped receptacles, E. bischleri is in one site, and more commonly Anastrophyllum 1. Exormotheca bischleri with receptacles, mixed with Fossombronia. endemic to Sichuan Province, and has only been ellipticum, Jamesoniella, Lophozia incisa and 2. Aneura crateriformis in a calcareous flush.3. Gorge with dry Quercus collected once previously, while A. himalayensis is Tritomaria exsecta. Rock outcrops (especially scrub. 4. Athalamia pinguis with conspicuous ventral scales. 5. Leucodon new to China and is an interesting and unusual when calcareous) were always of interest with secundus, an epiphyte on evergreen oaks. 6. Mannia californica on shady, monotypic genus known only from the north- Bartramia, Encalypta, Plagiopus oederianus, calcareous soil. 7. Aitchisoniella himalayensis with its unique receptacles, a west of the Himalaya of India, and considered to Ptychomitrium, Timmia and Tortella tortuosa. new record for China. 8. Pressia, possibly a species new to science. D. Long be extremely rare and endangered. Two colonies Alpine zone, with Juniper/Rhododendron were found. 7 8 scrub, open rocks and screes, Kobresia Conifer-dominated forests with Fir meadows, marshy streamsides and lake (Abies), Spruce (Picea) and Larch (Larix), margins, 3,980–4,900 m 3,300–4,200 m The expedition targeted many alpine areas for Coniferous forests were widespread, the most their interesting vascular plants, on high passes bryologically interesting being dominated by Fir such as the Zheduo Shan, Gaversi Shan, Tuer (Abies) in valleys with a higher rainfall, whereas (Rabbit) Pass, the Litang to Lamaya road, the on drier slopes spruce (Picea) was dominant, and Jiawa to Dewu road, south-east of Daocheng

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and Voitia nivalis. However, a large proportion of the bryophytes are provisionally identified only to genus level, and the help of specialists around the 4 world is actively being sought for identifications. In this way many other interesting finds are 5 expected.

6 David G. Long Royal Botanic Garden, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR (e [email protected])

Acknowledgments Funding to support this expedition from the Royal Botanic 1. Oreas martiana in alpine heath. 2. Mountains of the Garden Edinburgh, Royal Horticultural Society and Alpine Zheduo Shan, north-west of Kangding. 3. Buxbaumia Garden Society is gratefully acknowledged. Staff at the punctata on a log in an Abies forest. 4. Asterella leptophylla Kunming Institute of Botany, particularly Dr Yang Yongping, with its delicate receptacles. 5. A typical mossy Abies/ are thanked for organizing the transport, accommodation and Rhododendron forest south-west of Jiulong. 6. Rhodobryum necessary permits, and particularly our three Kunming botanists ontariense on humus in a conifer forest. D. Long in the field: Dr Meng Ying, Deng Tao and Liu Ya-Hui. and on the new airport road north-west of In sharp and welcome contrast to the granite, plants, but also the wet summer meant that these Kangding. Most of these areas were on granite, the spectacular high-level limestone which out- plants were very conspicuous and in excellent References where cliffs, boulder fields and dry screes cropped extensively on the high pass north of fertile condition. Riccia species were found Brotherus, V.F. (1929). Musci. In Symbolae Sinicae, vol. 4, were studied along with streamsides, marshes Jiulong at between 4,400 and 4,620 m had a rich almost everywhere (but because of taxonomic pp. 1–147. Edited by H. Handel-Mazzetti. Vienna: and lake margins. Open slopes had a limited calcicole bryoflora, particularly on cliff ledges difficulties no identifications can easily be made Springer. flora, but Rhytidium rugosum and Abietinella and boulders: Blepharostoma trichophyllum, at present), but the best find was undoubtedly Furuki, T. & Higuchi, M. (2006). A new species of abietina were very common. Damp soil patches Campylophyllum halleri, Cirriphyllum cirrosum, Aitchisoniella himalayensis, listed in the World Exormotheca (Exormothecaceae, Hepaticae) from China. amongst dwarf Kobresia clumps had a flora of Clevea hyalina, Ctenidium, Didymodon giganteus, Red List of Bryophytes and new to China. Cryptogamie Bryologie 27, 97–102. tiny liverworts including Anthelia juratzkana, Distichium capillaceum, Mannia controversa Exormotheca bischleri was also of great interest Nicholson, W.E., Herzog, T. & Verdoorn, F. (1930). Lophozia decolorans and Marsupella spp.; in subsp. asiatica, Meesia uliginosa, Mnium, Myu- as it is endemic to Sichuan and was found in Hepaticae. In Symbolae Sinicae, vol. 5, pp. 1–60. Edited by H. Handel-Mazzetti. Vienna: Springer. places Splachnaceae colonized dung or animal rella, Oreas martiana, Preissia quadrata, two excellent fertile condition. One collection of remains, particularly Tetraplodon angustatus Schistidium spp., Timmia and Tortella tortuosa. Preissia may be a new species as it is much larger Piippo, S. (1990). An annotated catalogue of Chinese Hepaticae and Anthocerotae. Journal of the Hattori and Voitia nivalis. The acidic granite rocks were This was an outstandingly rich bryoflora, com- in size than the widespread P. quadrata (which Botanical Laboratory 68, 1–192. often colonized by Racomitrium and Andreaea parable to that on the Yulong Xue Shan and Da was also found in two sites). Both Mannia Piippo, S., He, X.-L. & Koponen, T. (1997). Hepatics species. The liverwort flora amongst the granite Xue Shan mountains in Yunnan. species seen, M. californica and M. controversa from north-western Sichuan, China, with a checklist of boulders was disappointingly limited with few subsp. asiatica, were new to Sichuan, as was Sichuan Hepatics. Annales Botanici Fennici 34, 51–63. large liverworts apart from Anastrepta orcadensis Significant finds Clevea hyalina. Redfearn, P.L., Tan, B.C. & He, S. (1996). A newly updated and Scapania spp. Lake margins and marshy During the expedition particular focus was Other liverworts new to Sichuan included and annotated checklist of Chinese mosses. Journal of the areas were surprisingly poor for bryophytes – not given to complex thalloid liverworts (the Aneura crateriformis, Calycularia crispula, Hattori Botanical Laboratory 79, 163–357. a single Sphagnum was seen, though of interest Marchantiidae) because of current research Lophocolea minor and Tritomaria exsecta, and the Wu, P.-C. & Wang, M.-Z. (eds) (2000). Bryoflora of were Aulacomnium palustre and Climacium interests at RBGE. Not only did south-west mosses Campylophyllum halleri, Meesia uliginosa, Hengduan Mountains (southwest China). Beijing: Academia dendroides. Sichuan prove to be of great interest for these Orthotrichum obtusifolium, Saelania glaucescens Sinica.

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6 David G. Long Royal Botanic Garden, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR (e [email protected])

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