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Tuatara: Volume 25, Issue 2, January 1982

Notes on rejected names of yellow-spored Anthoceros species which appear in the list published by Hamlin (1972)

Notes on rejected names of yellow-spored Anthoceros species which appear in the list published by Hamlin (1972).

Anthoceros affinis Schiffn. in the brief original description, which was based on a plant collected in Auckland, is stated to be perhaps only a page 68
Fig. 3. Part of a transverse section of a thallus. The chloroplast is shown in some cells.

Fig. 3. Part of a transverse section of a thallus. The chloroplast is shown in some cells.

variety of A. laevis differing only in that the spores are very smooth (Schiffner, 1889). However, it is now known that the degree of marking of the spore coat of A. laevis is extremely variable (Proskauer, 1958; Hassel de Menendez, 1962). By courtesy of the Curator of the Cryptogamic Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden, the Phaeoceros laevis folder of New Zealand specimens from the Herbarium of W. Mitten was made available for examination. Amongst the specimens is one determined by J. Proskauer as Phaeoceros ref. affinis on the basis of immature spores adhering to partially decayed old sporophyte fragments. Earlier it had been named Pellia carnosa (Hook. and Tayl., 1844) and included under Anthoceros laevis by Mitten (1855). In my opinion the specimen is not sufficiently distinct from A. laevis to justify the establishment of a separate species.

Phaeoceros novazealandicus (Pears.) Prosk, was originally described as Aspiromitus novazealandica (Pearson, 1923). By courtesy of the University of California (Berkeley), two accession numbers, UC 213698 and 213699, of Aspiromitus novazealandica (both listed as type and collected at Taupo in 1904 by Setchell) were able to be examined. Proskauer (1951) has already stated that this species is a typical member of the yellow-spored section of Anthoceros. In my opinion the specimens with capsules correspond with A. laevis. However, a figure of a male plant with large solitary antheridia (Pearson, 1923) seem to belong to Megaceros leptohymenius, a species which often grows intermixed with A. laevis and superficially resembles it.

Anthoceros colensoi Mitt.

By courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden the sheet of specimens of Anthoceros colensoi from the Herbarium of W. Mitten was available for examination. The lectotype (Colenso 2069) is annotated by J. Proskauer as Megaceros giganteus (Lehm, and Lindenb.) Campb. It was page 69
Fig. 4. Spore a. outer face, b. triradiate face. Scanning electron micrographs by G. Walker.

Fig. 4. Spore a. outer face, b. triradiate face. Scanning electron micrographs by G. Walker.

page 70
Fig. 5. Part of figure 4 at a higher magnification. Scanning electron micrograph by G. Walker.

Fig. 5. Part of figure 4 at a higher magnification. Scanning electron micrograph by G. Walker.

collected on the summit of the Ruahine Mountains (Mitten, 1855). Earlier Proskauer (1953) had used the name Dendroceros giganteus for this species. On the same sheet is a specimen, collected in Auckland by Sinclair, which Proskauer annotated as Dendroceros sp. (presumably D. nodulosus Steph.). However, in the British Museum there is a sheet of eight specimens of A, colensoi Mitt., 7 of which had been received from the Herbarium of F. Stephani. They were collected in New Zealand by Kirk and by others. Further specimens collected by Kirk are in the National Museum, at Botany Division, Christchurch and in the Hodgson collection. From my observations these specimens belong to the yellow-spored section of Anthoceros and are different from the lectotype of A. colensoi in the Mitten Herbarium. It will be necessary to study living material before a new name can be given to them.

References

Hamlin, B. G., 1972: Hepaticae of New Zealand Parts I and II. Records of the Dominion Museum 7 : 243-366.

Hassel de Menendez, G. G. 1962: Estudio de las Anthocerotales y Marchantiales de la Argentina. Opera Lilloana 7 : 1-297.

Hooker, J. D. & Taylor, T. 1844: Hepaticae Antarcticae. Journal of Botany, London 3 : 576.

Mitten, W. 1855: Hepaticae. In Hooker, J. D. The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage etc. II. Flora Novae Zelandiae Part II : 170. London.

Pearson, W. H. 1923: More New Zealand Hepaticae. University of California Publications in Botany 10 : 373-392.

Proskauer, J. 1951. Studies on Anthocerotales. III. The genera Anthoceros and Phaeoceros, Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club 8 : 331-349.

—— 1953: Studies on Anthocerotales. IV. Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club 80 : 65-75.

—— 1958: Studies on Anthocerotales. V. Phytomorphology 7 : 113-135.

Schiffner, V. 1889: Lebermoose mit Zugrundelegung der von Dr. A. C. M. Gottsche ausgefuhrten Vorarbeiten. Forschungreise S.M.S. “Gazelle” Bot. 4 (4) : 1-48.

Stephani, F. 1912-17: Species hepaticarum V : 991. Geneva.