Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, Ser. B, 30(3), pp. 103–107, September 22, 2004 A Small Collection of Mosses from Kunashir Island, the Kuriles Masanobu Higuchi1 and Ken Sato2 1 Department of Botany, National Science Museum, 4–1–1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0005, Japan. E-mail: [email protected] 2 Faculty of Engineering, Hokkai-Gakuen University, 4–1–40 Asahi-machi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062–8605, Japan. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Seventeen species of mosses are reported from Kunashir (Kunashiri) Island, the Kuriles. Dicranum japonicum, Grimmia elongata and Plagiothecium denticulatum are new addi- tions to the moss flora of the Kuriles. Arctoa fulvella, Dicranum hamulosum, Pogonatum sphaerothecium, Polytrichum piliferum and Sphagnum palustre are new to Kunashir Island. Key words: bryophytes, mosses, Kunashir, the Kuriles. This is a report on the mosses collected from Study Area Kunashir Island, the Kuriles, in 1999. The Kuriles is a chain of islands connecting Hokkai- From July 29 to August 5, 1999, the second do (Japan) and Kamchatka Peninsula. Geologi- author visited Kunashir Island to make a field re- cally the islands originated from volcanic activi- search of vascular flora and vegetation, and also ty. Kunashir Island is situated in the southwest of collected bryophyte specimens mainly on Mt. Ty- the islands (Fig. 1). The highest peak is Mt. Ty- atya (July 30–Aug. 3) and some specimens on atya (44°21ЈN, 146°15ЈE) on the northern part of Mt. Mendeleev (Mt. Rausu) (Aug. 4). the island at 1,822 m. The land area is ca. Altitudinal vegetation zones and plant commu- 1,499 km2, which follows Honshu, Hokkaido, nities observed on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Kyushu, Shikoku and Iturup (Etorofu) Islands. Tyatya were as follows (cf. Sato 2001, Sato & The moss flora of the Kuriles is still insuffi- Eremenko 2002). ciently known. The mosses of the islands have I: Montane zone (below 250 m). been reported by Brotherus (1899), Horikawa Ia: Herb communities on sandy beach and (1934, 1940) and Noguchi (1967). Bardunov & rocky coast (seashore). Cherdantseva (1984) compiled a catalog of moss- Ib: Tall-herb community and small forest es of the southern Kurile Islands. Recently Mina- stands on coastal terrace (below 70 m). mi et al. (2001) reported bryophytes on Para- Ic: Coniferous forest accompanied with mushir Island, northern Kuriles, and Otnyukova temperate hardwoods (70–160 m). (2001) recorded Dicranum nipponese from Ku- Id: Dense deciduous thicket accompanied nashir Island. Among 17 species recognized in with temperate hardwoods and Polygonum this study, D. japonicum, Grimmia elongata and weyrichii var. alpinum community (160–250 m). Plagiothecium denticulatum are new additions to II: Subalpine zone (250–850 m). the moss flora of the Kuriles. Arctoa fulvella, Di- IIa: Sparse deciduous thicket and Polygon- cranum hamulosum, Pogonatum sphaerothecium, um weyrichii var. alpinum community (250– Polytrichum piliferum and Sphagnum palustre are 400 m). new to Kunashir Island. IIb: Polygonum weyrichii var. alpinum community and Dicentra peregrina community on the scoria desert, and Racomitrium lanugi- nosum community on the volcanic boulders. 104 Masanobu Higuchi and Ken Sato Fig. 1. Map showing study sites. IIc: Betula ermanii forest and Alnus maxi- summit in 1812, because these communities mowiczii thicket (650–850 m). show sparse physiognomy and also are extremely III: So-called alpine zone above the forest poor in species compared with those of IIIa. limit (850–1,822 m). On the other hand, the mountain foots of Mt. IIIa: Pinus pumila scrub, Alnus maximow- Mendeleev (30–180 m) are mainly covered with iczii thicket, Dicentra peregrina community, Picea glehnii forest, and there are small stands of Loiseleuria procumbens community, Phyllodoce Abies sachalinensis forest and solfatara commu- caerulea community on the somma (850– nities characterized by the occurrence of Pinus 1,486 m). pumila, Deschampsia flexuosa, Miscanthus IIIb: Carex flavocuspis community and sinensis, etc. in the subalpine forest zone. Loiseleuria procumbens community in the atrio (crater floor; 1,350–1,400 m). Enumeration of Species IIIc: Phyllodoce caerulea community and Phyllodoce aleutica community in the depression In the following enumeration an asterisk (*) of lava flows, Pentstemon frutescens community preceding a species indicates “new to the on unstable slopes and Racomitrium lanugi- Kuriles.” The collections are preserved in the nosum community on the lava flows of central herbarium of the National Science Museum cone (1,400–1,822 m). (TNS). Among the above communities, communities of Id, Ia and Ib, showing the physiognomy of vol- 1. Arctoa fulvella (Dicks.) Bruch & Schimp. canic desert, are considered as the regenerating in B. S. G., Bryol. Eur. 1: 156 (1846). stages after the eruption of adventive cone (ca. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1430m, in Phyl- 650 m) in 1973. Communities of IIIb and IIIc lodoce caerulea community (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 must be influenced strongly by the eruption at the (Sato 4732), 1510 m, in Phyllodoce caerulea Mosses from Kunashir Island, the Kuriles 105 community (IIIc), Aug. 1, 1999 (Sato 4717), Japan, Alaska and western Canada. 1550 m in Racomitrium lanuginosum community This species has been reported from Iturup (IIIc) (Sato 4714). (Etorofu) and Shikotan Islands as well as Ku- Distribution. Europe, Siberia, China, Japan, nashir Island (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva N. America and Greenland. New to Kunashir Is- 1984). land. Minami et al. (2001) listed the species in Table 6. *Plagiothecium denticulatum (Hedw.) 1 in their report of the bryophytes on Paramushir Schimp. in B.S.G., Bryol. Eur. 5: 190 (1851). Island without data of the specimen. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1415m, in Alnus maximowiczii thicket (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato 2. Dicranum hamulosum Mitt., Trans. Linn. 4738). Soc. London Bot. 3: 156 (1891). Distribution. Widely distributed in the world. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1400m, in Pinus pumila scrub (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato 4721). 7. Pogonatum alpinum (Hedw.) Rohl., Ann. Distribution. Far East Russia, China, Taiwan Wetterau Ges. 3: 226 (1814). and Japan. New to Kunashir Island. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, ca. 1300m, Aug. Minami et al. (2001) listed the species in Table 3, 1999, coll. N. Eremenko (Sato 4759), 1415 m, 1 in their report of the bryophytes on Paramushir in Alnus maximowiczii thicket (IIIa), Aug. 2, Island without data of the specimen. 1999 (Sato 4736). Distribution. Europe, Africa, Far East Rus- 3. *Dicranum japonicum Mitt., Trans. Linn. sia, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and N. Ameri- Soc. London Bot. 3: 155 (1891). ca. New to Kunashir Island. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, ca. 1300m, Aug. This species has been reported from Itrup Is- 3, 1999, coll. N. Eremenko (Sato 4758), 1400 m, land (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva 1984). in Loiseleuria procumbens community (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato 4728), 1415 m, in Alnus max- 8. Pogonatum sphaerothecium Besch., Ann. imowiczii thicket (IIIa) (Sato 4737). Sc. Nat. Bot. sér. 7, 17: 353 (1893). Distribution. China, Taiwan, Korea and Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1450–1680m, in Japan. IIIc, Aug. 1, 1999 (Sato 4720). Distribution. China, Korea, Far East Russia, 4. *Grimmia elongata Kaulf. in Sturm, Japan and Aleutian. New to Kunashir Island. Deutschl. Fl. 2: 14 (1816). This species has been reported from Iturup Is- Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1380 m, in Phyl- land (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva 1984). lodoce aleutica community (IIIc), Aug. 1, 1999 (Sato 4718). 9. Polytrichum juniperinum Willd. ex Distribution. Widely distributed in the Hedw., Spec. Musc. 89 (1801). Northern Hemisphere. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 135–300m, in volcanic desert (Id), July 31, 1999 (Sato 4702), 5. Hypnum plicatulum (Lindb.) A.Jaeger & ca. 350 m, in volcanic desert (IIa), July 30, 1999 Sauerb., Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1877–78: 316 (Sato 4756). (1880). Distribution. Widely distributed in the world. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 135–300m, in This species has been reported from Kunashir volcanic desert (IIId), July 31, 1999 (Sato 4701), and Iturup Islands (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva 1430 m, in Alnus maximowiczii thicket (IIIa), 1984). Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato 4742). Distribution. Europe, Korea, Far East Russia, 10. Polytrichum piliferum Hedw., Spec. 106 Masanobu Higuchi and Ken Sato Musc. 90 (1801). 1550 m, in Racomitrium lanuginosum communi- Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1400m, in Loise- ty (IIIc), Aug. 1, 1999 (Sato 4713), 1450– leuria procumbens community (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1680 m, in Racomitrium lanuginosum communi- 1999 (Sato 4727), 1415 m, in Phyllodoce ty (IIIc) (Sato 4719). caerulea community (IIIc), Aug. 1, 1999 (Sato Distribution. Widely distributed in the world. 4712), 1510 m, in Phyllodoce caerulea commu- This species has been reported from Kunashir nity (IIIc), Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato 4716). and Iturup Islands (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva Distribution. Widely distributed in the world. 1984). New to Kunashir Island. Minami et al. (2001) listed the species in Table 14. Sanionia uncinata (Hedw.) Loeske, Hed- 1 in their report of the bryophytes on Paramushir wigia 46: 309 (1907). Island without data of the specimen. Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, ca. 1300m, in IIIa, Aug. 3, 1999 (Sato 4757), 1430 m, in Phyl- 11. Racomitrium heterostichum (Hedw.) lodoce caerulea community (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 Brid., Mant. Musc. 79 (1819). (Sato 4733). Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 1430m, in Alnus Distribution. Widely distributed in the maximowiczii thicket (IIIa), Aug. 2, 1999 (Sato Northern Hemisphere. 4741). This species has been reported from Iturup and Distribution. Europe, Nepal, W. Bengal, Shikotan Islands as well as Kunashir Island (cf. Sikkim, Bhutan, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, N. Amer- Bardunov & Cherdantseva 1984). ica and Greenland. This species has been reported from Kunashir 15. Sphagnum girgensohnii Russ., Arch. Island (cf. Bardunov & Cherdantseva 1984). Naturk. Livl. Ehstl. Kurl. Ser. 2, 7: 124 (1865). Kunashir Island, Mt. Mendeleev (Mt. Rausu), 12. Racomitrium japonicum Dozy & Molk., 60 m, in Abies sachalinensis forest, Aug. 4, 1999 Musci Frond. Ined. Archip. Indici 5: 130 (1847). (Sato 4742). Kunashir Island, Mt. Tyatya, 135–300m, in Distribution.