Lejeunea flava (Sw.) Nees, Naturgesch. Eur. Leberm.

Renner, M. A., de, Lange P. J. & Glenny, D. S., 2021, A synopsis of Aotearoa / New Zealand Lejeunea (Lejeuneaceae: Jungermanniopsida) and new species in the Lejeunea epiphylla Colenso complex, Arctoa 30 (2), pp. 187-212 : 202

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.15298/arctoa.30.20
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038C87E3-056D-BD2F-C039-2D4F4FB9F9E8
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lejeunea flava (Sw.) Nees, Naturgesch. Eur. Leberm.
status

Treatment

8. Lejeunea flava (Sw.) Nees, Naturgesch. Eur. Leberm. View in CoL 3: 277. 1838.

Basionym: Jungermannia flava Sw., Prodr. 144. 1788.

Original material: Jamaica.

Type : Jamaica, Swartz (lectotype designated by Grolle (1976): UPS; isolectotypes: BM, S)

= Lejeunea sinclairii Spruce, Trans. & Proc. Bot. Soc. Edinburgh 15: 262. 1884. nom. illeg. non Mitten, Bonplandia 10: 19. 1862.

Original material: N. Zelandia.

Lejeunea flava has a pantropical distribution, with extension into southern temperate Australasia, where it is widespread throughout Tasmania and New Zealand in forest habitats. It is a distinctive species in the field due to its opaque green or yellow-green colour, in combination with pentacarinate perianths and large, imbricate, ovate underleaves. Molecular phylogenetic studies resolve L. flava paraphyletic, suggesting this species comprises a complex that requires detailed investigation (Heinrichs et al., 2013). The illegitimate name L. sinclairii Spruce auct. non Mitt. has been applied to New Zealand specimens, however the apparent lack of alternative name and the absence of a comprehensive study of this pantropical species, both support the continued use of the name L. flava for New Zealand plants.