A new species of Cyclolejeunea (Marchantiophyta: Lejeuneaceae) from the Chocó, Colombia

Abstract

Cyclolejeunea is a small neotropical genus of six species and a common epiphyllous hepatic in lowland and montane rainforests. We describe the new species Cyclolejeunea glimeana M.E.Reiner & Gradst. from wet lowland rainforest along the Pacific coast of Colombia (Choco). The new species is characterized by the absence of innovations, entire leaf margins, leaf lobules without any indication of a tooth, and ligulate, thalloid gemmae without rhizoids. The combination of morphological characters seen in C. glimeana sets this species well apart from the remaining members of the genus and warrants its placement in a separate subgenus, C. subg. Chocolejeunea M.E.Reiner & Gradst. subg. nov. Ecologically, the new species stands out by its preference for palm trunks. The new species is a further addition to the unusually rich flora of the Choco region.