Systematic Botany (2009), 34(2): pp. 245–251 © Copyright 2009 by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists Syntrichia boliviana (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta), a New Species from the Tropical Andes M. Teresa Gallego 1 and María J. Cano Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100-Murcia, Spain 1 Author for correspondence ( [email protected] ) Communicating Editor: Lena Struwe Abstract— A moss from the puna of Urmiri, Department of La Paz in Bolivia, is described and illustrated as the new species Syntrichia boliv- iana . This species is characterized by its keeled and lanceolate leaves with bistratose to tristratose laminae, plane or weakly recurved bordered margins, acute apex, dorsal surface costal cells in the upper third like those of the lamina, and costa ending a few cells below the apex, sporophytes with a short seta, and a peristome membrane hardly projecting above the urn. Detailed light and scanning electron microscope photographs of the main characters are presented. The principal characters that separate this from similar species are briefly discussed. Syntrichia napoana , previously only known from Ecuador, is reported from Bolivia. A key to the species of Syntrichia in Bolivia is provided. Keywords— Bolivia , Bryophyta , Pottiaceae , Syntrichia , taxonomy. The Pottiaceae are the largest family of mosses in the 1994 , 2007 ; He 1998 ; Li et al. 2001 ; Allen 2002 ; Gallego 2005 ), Neotropics and characteristic of harsh environments. In terms the unusual combination of characters left no doubt that this of species diversity, Syntrichia Brid., is the most species-rich specimen could not be accommodated into any known species genus of this family ( Gradstein et al. 2001 ). The genus appears of Syntrichia . The new species is here described, illustrated, to be a monophyletic group ( Mishler 2007 ), and mainly char- and compared with other closely related species ( Table 1 ). acterized by red laminal KOH color reaction and the lack of a A key to all Syntrichia species of Bolivia is provided. dorsal epidermis in costal cross section of the leaves. According to Crosby et al. (1999) , Syntrichia comprises 78 species distrib- uted worldwide, of which 39% are presently recognized in Materials and Methods the Neotropics ( Mishler 1994 ; Churchill and Linares 1995 ; The type specimen cited below is deposited in LPB. The specimen was Delgadillo et at. 1995 ; Churchill et al. 2000 ; Churchill 2008 ), studied with the typical anatomical and morphological methods applied showing a notable diversification in this area. Recently, Cano for Pottiaceae ( Zander 1993 ). For the study of comparative morphology, we examined all the described species present in the Neotropics. The habi- and Gallego (2008) have transferred many Tortula Hedw. spe- tat description is based on label information. General morphology and cies to Syntrichia and have synonymized several names pre- measurements were undertaken with an Olympus-BH2 light microscope, viously placed in Tortula under Syntrichia . Furthermore, new while microphotographs were obtained with a spot insight 3.5 camera reports of Syntrichia for South America ( Gallego et al. 2006 ; mounted on this microscope. Leaf surfaces were studied using a Jeol JSM- 6100 scanning electron microscope (SEM), using 10–25 kv acceleration. Gallego and Cano 2007a ), as well as one new species ( Gallego For the SEM study, the material was fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde with 0.1M and Cano 2007b ), have been published. These various stud- cacodylate buffer at 4°C, then washed in cacodylate and saccharose buffer, ies have notably altered the nomenclature and the number of and dehydrated in an increasing acetone series, critical point dried, and species recognized for Syntrichia . coated with a 20–30 nm gold layer. The collection is fertile with numerous About 22 species of Syntrichia have been reported for the sporophytes, but only two have complete peristomes. To avoid damage to these sporophytes, they were not studied with electronic microscopy. Bolivian moss flora ( Churchill et al. 2000 ; Churchill and Fuentes 2005 ; Appendix 1 ). Recent studies (Cano 2008 ; Cano and Gallego 2008 ; Cano et al. 2008 ; Gallego et al. 2009 ) have Taxonomic Treatment considerably changed the species previously reported for the country ( Appendix 1 ). Recent transfers include Hennediella Syntrichia boliviana M. T. Gallego & M. J. Cano, sp. nov.— angustifolia to Syntrichia as S. angustifolia ( Cano 2008 ), S. xero- TYPE: BOLIVIA. La Paz: Loayza, Urmiri, along the phila to Pseudocrossidium , Tortula napoana , T. polylepidis and Urmiri Hot Springs road cutoff ca. 1 km above Urmiri T. buchtienii to Syntrichia as S. napoana , S. polylepidis , and Hot Springs and 4 km S of Sapahaqui, 16°54’S, 67°56’W, S. buchtienii ( Cano and Gallego 2008 ). New synonymies 3470 m, Nov 1986, Lewis 86–2084 (holotype: LPB!). include Tortula brunnea , T. fragillima and T. ligulata with S. fra- Folia adpressa, lanceolata vel ovato-lanceolata, pr. medium gilis , Tortula sordida with Syntrichia andicola ( Cano and Gallego haud constricta, carinata et apice acuta, lamina regulatim 2008 ), and finally, S. ciliata with S. andicola, S. viridula with bistratosa, interdum tristratosa, marginibus plerumque pla- S. lacerifolia, and S. bipedicellata and S. linguifolia with S. fragilis nis, basi nonnumquam recurvatis, unistratosis quidem, sed ( Gallego et al. 2009 ). In addition, Cano et al. (2008) recorded cellulis incrassatis efformatis, ita ut phyllidium aperte mar- S. ammonsiana for the first time from Bolivia. ginatum appareat, nervo non apicem prorsus attingenti dor- During ongoing studies toward a revision of Syntrichia in saliterque laevi. Sporophytum seta brevi longitudineque tota South America, we found a peculiar specimen of uncertain dextrorsum retorta, capsula cylindrica et membrana basali affinity at the La Paz National Bolivian Herbarium (LPB) peristomii brevissima. which was identified as Tortula and collected in November of Plants 1.0–1.5 cm high, growing in dense turfs, olive-green. 1986 by Marko Lewis in La Paz. After studying the types of Stems erect, branched; in cross-section circular, hyaloder- the American taxa attributed to Syntrichia and Tortula ( Gallego mis absent, sclerodermis with the outer cells thicker-walled, and Cano 2007a ; Cano and Gallego 2008 ; Gallego et al. 2009 ), central strand differentiated; axillary hairs of hyaline cells. and comparing the specimens with relevant literature ( Magill Rhizoids brownish, smooth. Leaves appressed, with the upper 1981 ; Lightowlers 1986 ; Kramer 1988 ; Zander 1993 ; Mishler part irregularly twisted when dry, spreading when moist, 245 246 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY [Volume 34 Table 1. Comparison of key morphological characters distinguishing Syntrichia boliviana, S. breviseta, S. chisosa , S. napoana and S. percarnosa . S. boliviana S. breviseta S. chisosa S. napoana S. percarnosa leaf shape lanceolate lingulate lingulate to lingulate- lingulate lingulate to lingulate- spathulate lanceolate leaf constriction no weakly weakly no weakly at the middle leaf apex keeled, acute not keeled, obtuse to not keeled, obtuse to not keeled, obtuse cucullate, rounded rounded rounded to rounded leaf margins bordered, plane or bordered, plane or not bordered, plane bordered, recurved to bordered, usually plane, recurved one third weakly recurved the middle, sometimes sometimes weakly of the leaf length at base plane recurved upper and middle 3–7.5 × 4.5–8 7.5–12.5 × 7.5–12.5 5–7.5(10) × 5–7.5(10) 10–15(17.5) × 10–12.5(15) 7.5–12.5 × (5)7.5–10(12.5) laminal cells size (μm) lamina stratification regularly bi to irregularly bistratose in regularly bistratose irregularly bistratose in regularly to irregularly tristratose patches patches bistratose in patches costa finishing few cells excurrent as a smooth excurrent as a mucro, finishing few cells below finishing few cells below apex, hair-point, strongly strongly papillose apex, weakly papillose below apex, usually smooth dorsally papillose dorsally dorsally dorsally smooth dorsally dorsal surface cells like those of the like those of the lamina stereids stereids like those of the lamina of the costa at lamina upper third seta spirally twisted to spirally twisted to right sporophytes unknown spirally twisted to left spirally twisted to left right throughout throughout below and to right below and to right above above peristome membrane hardly projects over projects over the urn sporophytes unknown hardly projects over projects over the urn the urn like a short tube the urn like a tube vegetative diaspores absent absent brood leaves leaf fragments absent lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 2.7–3.7 × 0.4–0.6 mm, keeled, the genus Syntrichia is the most diverse ( Churchill 2008 ). The not constricted at midleaf, lamina regularly bistratose, some- province of Loayza (in Department of La Paz) is located in the times tristratose; apex acute; margins plane or recurved one north-central portion of the country, where the upper limit of third of the leaf length from the base, unistratose, bordered by the puna exhibits a dominant shrub and thicket vegetation. 1–3 rows of thicker-walled and smooth cells; costa 85–100 μm Syntrichia boliviana is only known from the type locality in wide at midleaf, without dorsal stereids in the upper third, Bolivia (Dpt. La Paz, Prov. Loayza). According to label infor- ending a few cells below the apex; ventral surface cells of the mation, this specimen was found in desert scrub growing as costa differentiated,