Fissidens ceylonensis Dozy & Molk.

(Fig. 4)

Muscorum Frondosorum Novae Species ex Archipelago Indico et Japonica: 7 (Dozy & Molkenboer 1844) (Aug.-Sept. 1844).

— Lectotype (designated byTouw 2013): Ceylon [Sri Lanka] • König 910, 114-864 = L0041421 (herb. Van Royen; labelled by Sande Lacoste; analytic drawings by Iwatsuki).

Fissidens borgenii Hampe, Botanische Zeitung (Berlin) 28: 36 (Hampe 1870).

— Lectotype (designated as holotype byMagill 1981, here refined as “specimen in herbarium Hampe”): South Africa • Natal, prope Umpumulo; Borgen 7; BM-herb. Hampe; isolectotypes: BM, PC, H-SOL, syn. nov.

Fissidens sarcophyllus Müll.Hal. ex Dusén, Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps Academiens Handlingar, n.s. 28 (2): 11, fig. a-d; pl. 2, f. 5. (Dusén 1895).

— Lectotype: (designated by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993, here refined with barcode): Musci Africani in Camerunia a P. Dusén collecti coll. a13, BM [BM000879000]; isolectotype: BM, syn. nov.

Fissidens intralimbatulus Broth. & P. de la Varde, Revue bryologique n.s. 1: 87, pl. II, f.1. (Potier de la Varde 1928).

— Lectotype (designated by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993 here refined with barcode): Gabon • Dibwangui; Le Testu 5631; MNHN [PC0106495], syn. nov.

Fissidens paucilimbatus P. de la Varde, Revue bryologique n.s. 1: 88. pl. II, 2. (Potier de la Varde 1928).

— Lectotype (Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993 here refined with barcode): Gabon • dans la Basomba; Le Testu 5633; MNHN [PC0106554]; isolectotype: PC, syn. nov.

Fissidens aoristoloma P. de la Varde, Revue bryologique et lichénologique 11: 179, f. III,1. (Potier de la Varde 1939).

— Lectotype (designated by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993 here refined with barcode): Central African Republic • Mbaïki; Tisserant M738; MNHN [PC0029462]; isolectotype: PC, syn. nov.

Fissidens intralimbatulus var. brevifolius P. de la Varde, Revue bryologique et lichénologique 18: 109 (Potier de la Varde 1949).

— Lectotype (designated by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1997 here refined with barcode): Burkina Faso • Haute Volta; chutes de la Comoe près de Banfora; Chevalier s.n.; PV9935; MNHN [PC0095359]; isolectotype: MNHN [PC0095358], syn. nov.

Fissidens norkettii P. de la Varde, Revue bryologique et lichénologique 22: 7, fig. 2. (Potier de la Varde 1953).

— Lectotype (designated by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993 here refined with barcode): Nigeria • Jos; Thorold 306; MNHN [PC0095365]; isolectotype: MNHN [PC0073009], syn. nov.

Fissidens subceylonensis Dury & Onr., Revue bryologique et lichénologique 42: 854. (Bizot 1976).

— Lectotype (designated as holotype by Bruggeman-Nannenga 1999, here refined with barcode): Seychelles • Mahé, Evéché de Victoria, la Rosière; sur les murs de granit ombragés; 20 m alt.; 20.I.1974; Onraedt 75-S-003; MNHN [PC0096369].

DIAGNOSIS (distinctive features bold). — Fissidens ceylonensis is a variable, palaeotropical species characterized by stiff, opaque leaves, marginal papillae that obscure the cells, long vaginant laminae reaching 2/3-ª⁄5 the leaf length and irregular, typically intramarginal, limbidia. The distribution and extension of the limbidia is variable. They vary between restricted to the upper leaves of perichaetial stems (e.g. in the type specimen of F. sarcophyllus) and present on the vaginant laminae of all or most leaves of both vegetative and perichaetial stems. Limbidia can exist of a single cell or extend over a large part of the vaginant lamina, but always end below the apex of the vaginant lamina. Limbidia are frequently interrupted, irregular and typically at least in part intramarginal, limbidia of perichaetial leaves intramarginal or marginal. Limbidia are unistratose or, rarely, partly bistratose. The shape of the leaves varies between lanceolate and oblong-lanceolate. The costa typically is percurrent to excurrent in short mucro. Rarely it ends a few cells below the apex (e.g. in the type specimen of F. borgenii). The African F. schweinfurthii resembles F. ceylonensis in the obscure, stiff leaves, long vaginant laminae, marginal papillae, lanceolate to oblong leaves and percurrent to excurrent costae. This species is easily separated by its better developed, limbidia that are present on the vaginant laminae of all leaves, reach the apex of the vaginant laminae and are marginal throughout, except sometimes for a short intramarginal piece near the insertion.

OTHER EXAMINED MATERIAL (Specimens used in Fig. 4). — Democratic Republic of the Congo • Bas-Uele; 5 km à l’ouest de Likali, termitière dans la forêt secondaire; Lisowski 47587; KRAM (private herbarium Bruggeman-Nannenga).

Ghana • Central Region, Akroform-Akwekrom, Nimere R.; riverside rocks under roadbridge; 5°27’760N, 1°30’236W; R. Agyei, G. Ameka, C. Dankwah & N.G. Hodgetts 10217 (private herbarium Hodgetts; small collection mixed with other species).

Guinea • Nzérékoré Region, Macenta Prefecture, above the village of Zoubrouma; rocks in the forest; Lisowski 129 and 225; KRAM (private herbarium Bruggeman-Nannenga).

Seychelles • West coast of southern Mahé island; Point Maravi at the S end of Anse Gaulettes beach; Carophyllum, coconut and seminatural thicket on granitic rocks, rupicolous; 4°41’S, 55°28’35”E; Kis 9329 /X; EGR, L • Northern tip of Mahé Island, Montagne Glacis above Rivière Glacis valley; plantation forest and thickets, rupicolous; 4°34’30”S, 55°26’25”E; 4°34’40”S, 55°26’35”E; Kis 9340 / BM; EGR, L.

DISTRIBUTION. — This is the first record for mainland Africa of this species under the name F. ceylonensis. Formerly, African specimens were known as e.g. F. borgenii. Further distribution: Seychelles, Asia, Polynesia and Australia.

REMARK

All new synonyms above were earlier (Bruggeman-Nannenga 1993, 1997) reduced to F. borgenii and thus are no more than the logical result of the synonymy of F. borgenii with F. ceylonensis. This list of synonyms is not complete as only African synonyms are included.