A rare European endemic moss genus Arvernella is discovered in Sakhalin, Russian Far East, where it is also rare

Abstract

A molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that a tiny Amblystegiaceae plant from Sakhalin in the Russian Far East is most closely related to the recently described European endemic genus and species Arvernella microclada . This species is one of the smallest pleurocarpous mosses and it remains known only from a limited area in France, 9000 km from Sakhalin. Sakhalin plant differs from European in longer leaf costa and almost smooth laminal cells versus distinctly prorate in A. microclada , in addition to genetic differences. An equally small East Asian Platydictya fauriei , known from Japan and Corea,