Tubanova, D.Ya., O.D. Tumurova & E.A. Ignatova. The genus Mielichhoferia (Mielichhoferiaceae, Bryophyta) in Russia

Arctoa (2017) 26: 166–180

doi: 10.15298/arctoa.26.16

 

A revision of the genus Mielichhoferia in Russia is performed basing on morphological and molecular phylogenetic study. Specimens were found in two major clades, corresponding to M. mielichhoferiana s.l. and M. elongata s.l. Each of these clades includes subclades corresponding to cryptic species. Interesting is that almost all cryptic species discovered in the analysis of Shaw (2000) for North America and Europe were also found in Russia. Mosses of two clades nested within the M. elongata s.l. major clade were found to be well delimited morphologically. One of them corresponds to M. japonica, which is characterized by strongly reduced peristome and narrowly acute leaves with recurved marginal teeth. Another morphotype, which is characterized by thick-walled cells, is described as a new species, M. asiatica. The latter is known only in Eastern Siberia and Sakhalin.