Ignatova, E.A., O.I. Kuznetsova & M.S. Ignatov. 2023. The genus Fissidens in Russia, II: Fissidens neomagofukui and related species

Arctoa (2023) 32: 207–215

doi: 10.15298/arctoa.32.18

A recently described from Japan Fissidens neomagofukui Z. Iwats. & Tad. Suzuki differs from most species of the genus in Russia by having a reduced peristome, which teeth are triangular and not divided into two filiform branches. It also has elimbate leaves and therefore has been placed by Suzuki in subgenus Fissidens sect. Aloma, i.e. unrelated to subgenus Fissidens sect. Fissidens that includes F. bryoides and related species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis found F. neomagofukui in a sister position with specimens which are quite similar to species of F. bryoides-group, having almost complete limbidium in all parts of leaf, a typical bryoides-type peristome, and a bryoides-type costa. This species differs from other morphotypes of F. bryoides in smaller, smooth laminal cells and almost obligatory epiphytic growth on hardwood trunks; it occurs in the southern part of Primorsky Territory of Russia. Finding no appropriate existing name, we describe it as F. extremiorientalis sp. nov. Fissidens neomagofukui is confirmed in Russia only for southern part of Primorsky Territory, where it is rare and also grows exclusively on tree trunks, sometimes mixed with F. extremiorientalis.