Original paper

Venezuelan Hepaticae IV. Amphilejeunea Schust. and Aureolejeunea Schust

Schuster, R.M.

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Nova Hedwigia Band 44 Heft 1-2 (1987), p. 1 - 23

11 references

published: Mar 2, 1987

DOI: 10.1127/nova.hedwigia/44/1987/1

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ArtNo. ESP050004401001, Price: 29.00 €

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Abstract

Two “holostipous” genera of Lejeuneaceae, Amphilejeunea Schust. (with only the Andean A. viridissima Schust. studied in detail) and Aureolejeunea Schust. (with only the four Andean taxa, A. aurifera Schust., A. paramoensis Schust., A. fulva Schust., A. quinquecarinata Schust. studied in detail) are treated. The first genus is shown to demonstrate certain similarities to Lejeunea subg. Hygrolejeunea. It is very distinct in the dichasial innovations, repeatedly fertile, so that deliquescent ramification patterns ensue, and in the very longly stipitate perianths; in spite of tendencies for the lobular hyaline papilla to undergo “migration” to an ental position, and in spite of the large, imbricate, unlobed underleaves, it fits reasonably well into the Lejeunea complex (Schuster 1963). By contrast, Aureolejeunea exhibits numerous “ptychanthoid characters”, i. a.: a “holostipous-type” axial anatomy; golden to brownish coloration; large, wide, unlobed underleaves; ventral merophytes usually 4 or more cells broad. It has, however, two “schizostipoid” criteria: leaf lobules have marginal slime papillae and the seta is of the 12 + 4-seriate type. The genus is regarded as fitting best into the Cheilolejeunea-Leucolejeunea-Omphalanthus complex (Schuster 1980, pp. 802, 807). This same complex is recognized as forming a natural grouping (as the Omphalanthus complex) in Gradstein et al. (1985). It is of interest that Schuster (1963, 1980) emphasized that this group of genera — whatever its name — showed “intermediate” traits between Ptychanthoideae (Holostipae) and Lejeuneoideae (Schizostipae). This complex, characterized chiefly by presence of striatene-type sesquiterpenes, has a chemical constitution that “in general resembles that of the. .. Ptychanthoideae” (Gradstein et al. 1985). This discovery, in effect, refutes the position of Mizutani (1985), who would divide the entire family into two groups, Lejeuneoideae and Ptychanthoideae.

Keywords

liverworts • Amphilejeunea • Aureolejeunea • Venezuela