Ceylon Journal of Science 48(4) 2019: 339-343
DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v48i4.7674
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Three new additions to the moss flora of Sri Lanka
H.K. Herath, N.C.S. Ruklani and S.C.K. Rubasinghe*
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Received: 14/06/2019; Accepted: 26/09/2019
Abstract: Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta) comprise the most
speciose group of bryophytes (liverworts, mosses, hornworts)
and consist of about 13,000 species worldwide. Owing to its
high level of topographic and climatic heterogeneity, the tropical
island of Sri Lanka supports a luxuriant growth of mosses.
Compared to other groups of plants in the country, mosses remain
as a poorly researched group. Lack of proper taxonomic studies
and scarcity of literature sources including locality details hamper
further research in the field of bryology. Present study was
carried out to explore the diversity of mosses in some selected
localities of Sri Lanka. Fresh samples of mosses were collected
from different localities including Horton Plains National Park,
Loolkandura Conservation Forest, Kanneliya Forest Reserve and
Badagamuwa Conservation Forest. Samples were observed for
their morphological and anatomical characters using dissecting,
compound and scanning electron microscopes. Specimens were
identified following recent classification systems, using the most
recent taxonomic keys, and monographs. The study identified
three species records new to Sri Lanka including Brachymenium
capitulatum (Mitt.) Kindb., Ctenidium pinnatum (Broth. & Paris)
Broth. and Fissidens crassinervis var. laxus (Sull. & Lesq.) A.
Eddy. Descriptions of these new species along with photo plates
are provided. With the addition of 03 new records the total number
of mosses recorded in the island increases from 572 to 575.
Keywords: bryophytes; mosses; new species records.
INTRODUCTION
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island country lying in
the Indian Ocean. The island is one of the most diverse
regions in South Asia and is recognized as one of the world’s
biodiversity hotspots along with the Western Ghats of India
(Ashton et al., 1997). Owing to its high level of topographic
and climatic heterogeneity, Sri Lanka supports a luxuriant
growth of a remarkably rich bryophyte (liverworts, mosses,
hornworts) flora (Geffert et al., 2013; O’Shea, 2003;
Ruklani and Rubasinghe, 2015). In contrast to the wellstudied higher plant flora of Sri Lanka, bryophytes are still
poorly explored, mainly due to their small size and difficult
taxonomy (O’Shea, 2003; Rubasinghe and Long, 2014;
Ruklani and Rubasinghe, 2013; Ruklani and Rubasinghe,
2015). According the recent checklists, the island harbours
327 species of liverworts (Long and Rubasinghe, 2014),
560 mosses (O’Shea, 2002) and five Hornworts (Long and
Rubasinghe 2014).
Of the three phyla of bryophytes: Marchantiophyta
(liverworts), Bryophyta (mosses) and Anthocerotophyta
(hornworts), mosses are the most species rich group,
including more than 13,000 species worldwide (CrandallStotler and Bartholomew-Began 2007; Goffinet et al.,
2009). Foundation for studies on mosses in Sri Lanka
was laid down during the British colonial period (details
in Rubasinghe and Long, 2014). Alexander Moon (1817
– 1825) was the first to collect Sri Lankan bryophytes,
andsome of his specimens deposited at the Natural History
Museum, UK, have not been studied or published yet
(O’Shea, 2003; Rubasinghe and Long, 2014). A detailed
description of contributions made by early scientists and
explorers is given in Rubasinghe and Long (2014). A
checklist compiling all the published literature was published
by Brian O’Shea (2002). O’Shea’s checklist recorded 60
families, 174 genera and 560 species of mosses from Sri
Lanka. However, this checklist has not been updated todate and the country lacks a specimen-based checklist or
a Flora of mosses. However, this checklist has not been
updated to-date and the country lacks a specimen-based
checklist or a Flora of mosses. Therefore, for most of the
published taxa of mosses, locality details and descriptions
are lacking and more localities still remain underexplored
for bryophytes. However, a few contributions to the moss
flora have been made since O’Shea’s checklist.
Benito Tan (2005) reported 05 new species of mosses
based on a collection made at Hantana Ridge and
Loolecondera Tea Estate: Acroporium secundum (Reinw.
& Hornsch.) Flesich., Gammiella koningsbergeri (Fleisch.)
B.C. Tan & Y. Jia, Hageniella micans (Mitt.) B.C. Tan &
Y. Jia, Pinnatella foreauana Thér. & P. dela Varde, and
Sematophyllum phoeniceum (Müll. Hal.) M. Fleisch. Seven
new species were reported by Ruklani & Rubasinghe
(2013) from the Central Province: Anomobryum lanatum (P.
Beauv.) J.R. Spence & H.P. Ramsay, Bryum argenteum var.
lanatum (P.Beauv.) Hampe, Pohlia wahlenbergii (F. Weber
& D. Mohr) A.L. Andrews, Bartramia brevifolia Brid.,
Dicranum scoparium Hedw., Macromitrium mauritianum
Schwägr. and Sematophyllum demissum (Wilson) Mitt.
These reports highlight the necessity of proper systematic
studies on the moss flora of the country.
*Corresponding Author’s Email: srubasinghe@pdn.ac.lk
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0242-0856
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
340
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A series of taxonomic surveys were conducted at different
geographic localities in Sri Lanka including Horton
Plains National Park, Loolkandura Conservation Forest,
Kanneliya Forest Reserve and Badagamuwa Conservation
Forest. Fresh samples of mosses were collected and
thoroughly surveyed for morphological and anatomical
characters. Specimens were identified using taxonomic
keys, descriptions and monographs and authenticated using
type descriptions and/or specimens. Voucher specimens
were prepared and deposited at the National Herbarium
Peradeniya (PDA).
RESULTS
Three species records new to Sri Lanka were identified during
the survey including: Brachymenium capitulatum (Mitt.)
Kindb. and Ctenidium pinnatum (Broth. & Paris) Broth and
Fissidens crassinervis var. laxus (Sull. & Lesq.) A. Eddy.
Taxonomic descriptions along with details of ecology and
distribution are provided for each newly recorded species.
1. Brachymenium capitulatum (Mitt.) Kindb., Enumeratio
Bryinearum Exoticarum, Supplementum Primum:
86. 1889 ≡ Bryum capitulatum Mitt., Journal of the
Linnean Society, Botany 22: 306. 1886. Type-Tanzania.
Kilimanjaro, Hannington s.n. (S). (Fig. 1).
Description- Plants small, up to 10mm high, in
somewhat loose tufts greenish above, brownish
towards the base. Rhizoids reddhish. Stem erect, with
leaves densely arranged at apex, fewer below. Leaves
capitulate, larger at apex, flexuous, appressed when dry,
spreading when moist, ovate-spathulate, acuminate, 4-5
Ceylon Journal of Science 48(4) 2019:339-343
mm long; margin recurved at base, plane and serrate
at apex, marginal cells 1–3 rows, narrow, hyaline;
costae excurrent ending in long awns; median leaf cells
rectangular to hexagonal, 35–50 µm long, thin-walled,
cells at leaf base rectangular. Setae erect, twisted, 30–
35 mm long. Capsule yellowish, avoid to ablong, up to
4.0 mm long, mouth narrow. Spores papillose, 10–14
mm in diameter.
Specimens examined- Sri Lanka, Central Province,
Nuwara Eliya District, Horton Plains National Park,
06°50.63280’N, 080°48.87120’E, 1958 m. 6January
2018, Herath & Rubasinghe 041-18HRSR (PDA).
Taxonomic note-Eight species of Brachymenium are
recorded from Sri Lanka: B. acuminatum Harv. in
Hook., B. exile (Dozy & Molk.) Bosch & Sande Lac.,
B. glaucum A.Jaeger, B. longicolle Thér., B. nepalense
Hook. in Schwaegr., B. nietneri (Müll.Hal.) A.Jaeger,
B. systylium (Müll.Hal.) A.Jaeger, and B. walkeri
Broth. (O’Shea, 2002). Brachymenium capitulatum can
be easily distinguished from the other species by its
distinctly bordered leaf margin and well-developed
stereid cells of leaf costae.
Habitat-on rotten tree trunks.
Distribution-The species is also reported from China,
Bhutan, Nepal, India (Sikkim), Papua New Guinea,
and Africa (Bansal et al., 2011; Blockeel et al., 2006;
Müller and Schäfer-Verwimp, 1999) and here from
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka.
Figure 1: Brachymenium capitulatum A-Habit, B-Leaf apex with excurrent costa, C-Leaf base, D-Leaf cross section, E-Stem cross
section, F-Median cells of the leaf.
341
H.K. Herath et al.
2. Ctenidium pinnatum (Broth. & Paris) Broth., Die
Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien I(3): 1073. 1908 ≡Stereodon
pinnatus Broth. & Paris, Bulletin de l’Herbier Boissier,
sér. 2(2): 991. 1902. Type- Japan. Liou Kiou (Ryukyu
Is.) Faurie 1325. (P) (Fig. 2).
Description-Plants small, soft, glossy, yellowish
green. Stem prostrate, 2.5–3.0 cm long, pinnately,
densely branched; branches curved, 6–7 mm long. Stem
leaves erect-spreading or curved, 0.8–1.0 mm long,
broadly ovate-lanceolate, gradually acuminate, cordate
at base; margins serrulate; costae absent; median leaf
cells 30–35 µm long, prorate, smooth; alar cells shortly
rectangular to rectangular, alar cells not distinctly
differentiated; branch leaves flattened, slightly falcate,
0.6–0.8 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, shortly acuminate.
Sporophytes not seen.
2018, Herath & Rubasinghe 042-18HRSR (PDA).
Habitat-On rotten wood
Taxonomic Note-O’Shea (2002) recorded two species
of Ctenidium: C. ceylanicum Cardot ex M.Fleisch.
and C. lychnites (Mitt.) Broth. Ctenidium pinnatum is
distinct in its small nature, dense pinnate branching of
the stem, and gradually acuminate, falcate stem leaves.
Distribution- Ctenidium pinnatum is also reported from
China, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam (Zhang et al., 2016;
Higuchi, Yao and Lin, 2012) and here from Horton
Plains National Park, Sri Lanka.
Specimens examined-Sri Lanka, Central Province,
Nuwara Eliya District, Horton Plains National Park,
06°47.05320’N, 080°47.87220’E, 2106 m. 6January
Figure 2: Ctenidium pinnatum A) Habit of the plant B) A branch showing pinnate branching pattern C) Stem leaf D) Acuminate leaf
apex E) Leaf base F) Leaf lamina cells.
342
3. Fissidens crassinervis Lac. var. laxus (Sull. & Lesq.)
A. Eddy, A Handbook of Malesian Mosses 1: 70. 1988
≡Fissidens laxus Sull. & Lesq. Proceedings of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences 4: 276. 1859. Type–Hong
Kong (G) (Fig. 3).
Description-Plants small, brownish green, variable
in size, up to 4 mm tall. Stem ovoid, central strand
absent in cross section. Leaves small, narrow, linearlanceolate, bluntly acuminate, 1.0–1.2 mm long; costa
strong, reddish brown, disappearing below apex;
margin weakly crenulate; vaginant lamina less than half
leaf length.
Sporophytes not seen. Seta terminal, sporophytes not
common (Eddy, 1988).
Specimens examined-Sri Lanka, Southern Province,
Galle District, Kanneliya Forest Reserve,06°19.04220’N,
080°18.97860’E,38 m. 20January, 2018. Herath &
Rubasinghe 071-18HRSR (PDA).
Habitat-On a thalloid liverwort, Riccia sp.
Taxonomic Note-O’Shea (2002) recorded 36 species
and 02 varieties under Fissidens: F. angustiusculus
Dixon & P.de la Varde, F. angustus Thwaites & Mitt., F.
anomalus Mont., F. antrophyi Müll.Hal., F. axilliflorus
Thwaites & Mitt., F. beckettii Mitt., F. ceylonensis
Ceylon Journal of Science 48(4) 2019:339-343
Dozy & Molk., F. crassinervis Sande Lac., F. crispulus
Brid., F. curvatoxiphioides Dixon & P.de la Varde,
F. curvatus Hornsch., F. dentatolimbatus Dixon, F.
discolor Wilson ex Mitt., F. firmus Mitt., F. flaccidus
Mitt., F. fuscoviridis Thwaites & Mitt., F. gardneri
Mitt., F. gedehensis M.Fleisch., F. incertus Thér. & P.de
la Varde, F. karwarensis Dixon, F. lateralis Broth., F.
macrosporoides Dixon & P.de la Varde, F. macrosporus
Dixon, F. minutus Thwaites & Mitt., F. nanocarpus Müll.
Hal., nom. nud., F. nobilis Griff., F. plumula Thwaites
& Mitt., F. schmidii Müll.Hal., F. serratus Müll.Hal., F.
socialis Müll.Hal., F. speluncae Broth., F. subobscurus
Paris, F. thwaitesii Paris, F. virens Thwaites & Mitt., F.
walkeri Broth., F. zollingeri Mont. F. ceylonensis var.
simplex M.Fleisch., and F. pellucidus var. pellucidus
Hornsch. The new record, F. crassinervis var.
crassinervis is losely related to F. crassinervis var.
crassinervis. However, reddish-brown plants, deep
reddish brown costae and narrow, tapering leaves of F.
crassinervis var. crassinervis readily separates it from
much green coloured F. crassinervis var laxus.
Distribution-The species is also reported from India,
Japan and Malesia (Suleiman and Edwards, 2002) and
here from Kanneliya Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka.
Figure 3: Fissidens crassinervis var. laxus A) Habit of the plant B) Leaf C) Bluntly acute leaf apex, D-Leaf lamina cells, E) Leaf
cross section F) Cross section of stem.
H.K. Herath et al.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The four selected localities explored during the study
revealed a considerable diversity of mosses including
23 families, 46 genera and 63 species. Calymperaceae,
Fissidentaceae,
Leucobryaceae,
Meteroriaceae,
Neckeraceae, Bryaceae, Dicranaceae, Thuidiaceae and
Sematophyllaceae were the commonly encountered
families during study. Horton Plains National Park
comprised the highest species diversity and luxuriant
growth of mosses while Badagamuwa conservation Forest
showed the least species diversity and sparse growth of
mosses. Deforestation, clearance of roadsides and climate
change are main threats to the moss flora of Sri Lanka.
Although Sri Lanka harbors a high diversity of bryophytes,
there is no specimen based checklist nor a “Flora” for
bryophytes of Sri Lanka. Therefore, documents describing
their morphology, identification methods, distribution
patterns, locality and phonological details lacking for
most groups of bryophytes including mosses. This scarcity
of information and expertise in the field prevent further
research carried out on this important group of plants within
the country. Also, due to the same reason, it is a barrier
to identify the important sites for bryophyte conservation.
The study emphasizes the importance of identification
and documentation of the existing bryophyte flora of the
country so that necessary conservation measures could be
implemented to conserve the existing taxa before they are
disappeared from the country.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors wish to acknowledge the Department of Forest and
Wildlife Department of Sri Lanka for providing necessary
permits to carry out the study. We extend our thanks to Mr.
S. Leelarathne and Mr. Ruwan Sampath for assisting in the
field.
REFERENCES
Ashton, P.M.S., Gamage, S., Gunatilleke, I.A.U.N. and
Gunatilleke, C.V.S. (1997). Restoration of a Sri Lankan
rainforest: using Caribbean pine Pinus caribaea as a
nurse for establishing late-successional tree species.
Journal of Applied Ecology 34(4) : 915-925.
Bansal, P., Nath, V. and Chaturvedi, S.K. (2011). Epiphytic
Bryophytes on Thuja orientalis in Nagaland NorthEastern India. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy
18:163-167.
Blockeel, T.L., Chlebicki, A., Hájková, P., Hájek, M.,
Hradȋlek, Z., Kürschner, H., Ochyra, R., Parolly,
G., Plášek, V., Quandt, D., Townsend, C.C. and
Vandenpoorten, A. (2006). New national and regional
bryophyte records, 12. Journal of Bryology 28(1): 6870.
Brotherus, V.F. (1908). Plagiothecieae.Die Natürlichen
Pflanzenfamilien Teil I(3): 1073.
Brotherus, V.F. andParis J.E.G.N. (1902).Bulletin de
l’Herbier Boissier (sér. 2)2: 991.
Crandall-Stotler, B.J. and Bartholomew-Began, S.E.
(2007). Morphology of mosses (Phylum Bryophyta).
Flora of North America North of Mexico 27:3-13.
343
Eddy, A. (1988). A Handbook of Malesian Mosses. British
Museum (Natural History), London 1: 70.
Geffert, J.L., Frahm, J.P., Barthlott, W. and Mutke J. (2013).
Global moss diversity: spatial and taxonomic patterns
of species richness. Journal of Bryology 35(1): 1-11.
Goffinet, B., Buck, W.R. and Shaw, A.J. (2009).
Morphology and classification of the Bryophyta. In:
B. Goffinet, and A. J. Shaw (Eds.) Bryophyte Biology.
Cambridge University Press.
Higuchi, M., Yao, K.Y. and Lin S.H. (2012). Mosses of
Mt. Chilai, Taiwan. Memoirs of the National Science
Museum Tokyo 48: 159-175.
Kindberg, N.C. (1889). Enumeratio Bryinearum Exoticarum,
Supplementum Primum. Linkoeping: Hammarstroem:
86.
Long, D.G. and Rubasinghe, S.C.K. (2014). Liverworts
and hornworts of Sri Lanka: a revised checklist. Ceylon
Journal of Science (Biological Sciences) 43(1): 1-36.
Mitten, W. (1886). The mosses and hepaticae collected in
Central Africa. Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany
22: 306.
Müller, F. and Schäfer-Verwimp, A. (1999). New bryophyte
taxon records for tropical countries III. Tropical
bryology: 195-202.
O’shea, B. J. 2002. Checklist of the mosses of Sri Lanka. The
Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 92: 125164.
O’shea, B.J. (2003). Bryogeographical relationships of
the mosses of Sri Lanka. The Journal of the Hattori
Botanical Laboratory 93: 293-304.
Rubasinghe, S.C.K and Long, D.G. (2014). Bryophytes of
Sri Lanka: a review of past exploration and taxonomic
research and priorities for the future. Journal of
Bryology 36(4): 259-270.
Ruklani, N.C.S. and Rubasinghe, S.C.K. (2013). A
preliminary survey of bryophytes in the central province
of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological
Sciences) 42(1): 67-72.
Ruklani, N.C.S. and Rubasinghe, S.C.K. (2015). Moss
Flora of Kanneliya Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka. Ceylon
Journal of Science (Biological Sciences) 44(1):35-43.
Suleiman, M. and Edwards S.R. (2002). Additions to the
Moss Flora of Endau Rompin National Park, Johore
State, Peninsular Malaysia. Tropical Bryology 21: 5764.
Sullivant, W.S. and Lesquereux, C.L. (1859).Characters
of some new Musci collected by Charles Wright in
the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, under the
command of Captain John Rodgers. Proceedings of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences 4: 276.
Tan, B.C. (2005). New Species Records of Sri Lankan
Mosses. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement
12: 5-8.
Zhang, B.Y., Shu, L., Zhao, C.X., Wei, Y.M., Wang, J., Van
Do, T., Lu, T.N., Wang, Y.F.and Zhu, R.L. (2016). New
moss records for Vietnam. Cryptogamie, Bryologie
37(3): 259-282.
Sumudu Rubasinghe