Schwetschkea sinensis Müll. Hal., Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., 2018

Asthana, G. & Bhagat, Ch., 2018, Lindbergia sinensis (Müll. Hal.) Broth., an interesting moss, new to India, Arctoa 28 (1), pp. 24-27 : 24-26

Lindbergia sinensis (Müll. Hal.) Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 993. 1907. — Schwetschkea sinensis Müll. Hal., Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. , n. ser. 3: 111. 1896.

Fig. I : 1-29.

Type Locality: China .

Plants epiphytic, yellowish green to dark green, forming mats. Main stem creeping, irregularly branched, rhizoids present in bunches, 10–25 mm long and 0.83–1.16 mm wide with leaves. Branches 4–7 mm long. Stem 0.18– 0.21 mm in diameter. Cross-section of the stem 10–14 cells across diameter, cortical cells small, thick walled in 2–3 rows, 3–8 × 7–12 µm, medullary cells large, thin walled, 15–20 × 15–31 µm, central strand indistinct. Leaves densely arranged, appressed to spreading, 0.66– 0.75 mm long and 0.24–0.41 mm wide, ovate to lanceolate, somewhat concave to plane, acuminate, margin entire. Costa single, strong, reaching up to 2/3–3/4 of the leaf length, with 3–4 rows of thickened cells. Apical leaf cells rhomboidal, 23–35 × 5–12 µm, middle cells near costa rounded or ovate, 11–18 × 11–16 µm, near margin quadrate-rectangular, 7–12 × 11–15 µm, basal

1 – Department of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India; E-mails: [e-mail] (Corresponding author); [e-mail]

Table 1. A comparison of Lindbergia sinenssis and L. duthiei .

Russian Plants Indian Plants L. duthiei

( Ignatova et al., 2010) (LWU 22472/12) ( Vohra 1983)

Habitat Epiphytic Epiphytic Epiphytic

Plants Dark green or brownish green Yellowish green to dark green —-

Stem 1–3 cm long, Irregularly or 10–25 mm long and 0.83–1.16 mm Stem up to 3 cm long; almost pinnately branched; wide with leaves, irregularly branched; branches 5–7 mm long branches 2–5 mm long branches 4–7 mm long

Leaves Weakly concave to plain, Slightly concave to plain, Concave, broadly ovate, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, gradually acuminate, 0.9–1.3× 0.4–0.7 mm, 0.66–0.75× 0.24–0.41 mm, 1× 0.5 mm, margin entire. margin entire margin entire

Costa Ending at 2/3–3/4 the leaf length Reaching up to 2/3–3/4 the leaf length Ending at 2/3 the leaf length

Leaf cells Smooth, sometimes with one Smooth, papillae not seen Smooth

very small, hardly visible simple

papilla per cell on dorsal or

both surfaces

Seta Red, smooth, 5–7 mm long Brown, erect, smooth, 4–7 mm long Slender, reddish up to 7 mm long

Capsule Ovate, symmetrical, Ovate-elongated, 1.5–1.7 mm long Up to 2× 0.75 mm,

1.0– 1.1 mm long, red brown, and 0.68–0.76 mm wide, brownish

narrowed to the mouth brown

Operculum Conic with short obtuse beak Brown, conical, 0.33–0.38 mm long Lid deep red. and 0.48–0.55 mm wide, obtuse at apex.

Peristome Double Double —

Exostome 220 µm long, whitish, Exostome well developed, Peristome teeth 162 µm long finely papillose on outer surface, 196–235×39–47 µm in size,

dorsal trabeculae moderately high obtuse at apex, light yellow-brown

and finely papillose except at base

Endostome Endostome basal membrane Endostome hyaline, finely papillose, —

1/4 of exostome length, white, fragile, rudimentary

finely papillose, segments absent

Spores 20–25 µm, reddish brown, 19–24 µm, yellowish brown, 21–25 µm, smooth. finely papillose finely papillose

cells ovate to rectangular, 11–20 × 7–12 µm, thickened at corners, cells smooth, papillae not seen. Sporophytes present on short lateral branches. Perichaetial leaves 0.99–1.16 mm long and 0.33–0.41mm wide, erect, ovate to elongated, acuminate, margin entire, costate, cells smooth. Seta brown, erect, smooth, 4–7 mm long. Capsules brown, erect, ovate-elongated, 1.5–1.7 mm long and 0.68–0.76 mm wide. Operculum conical, 0.33–0.38 mm long and 0.48–0.55 mm wide, with obtuse apex. Peristome double. Exostome well developed, 196–235 × 39– 47 µm in size, obtuse at apex, light yellowish brown and finely papillose except at base. Endostome hyaline, finely papillose, fragile, rudimentary. Spores small, yellowish brown, 19–24 µm in diameter, finely papillose.

Habitat. Plants grow epiphytically on tree bark. Distribution in the World. China & Russia ( Tan et

al.,1995, Cao et al., 2002, Huan et al., 2002, Ignatova et al., 2010).

Distribution in India. Garhwal hill in Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya (new record for India).

Specimen examined: Western Himalaya, Uttarakhand, Garhwal hill, Chamoli , Khanotinala , alt. ca. 1678 m, Lat. 30° 31' 70N, Lon. 79° 31' 70E, G . Asthana & party, 05-X-2012, 22472/ 12 ( LWU) .

Figures

Fig. I. Linbergia sinensis (Müll. Hal.) Broth. 1. Habit of plant (Wet). 2. A portion of plant enlarged (Wet). 3. A portion of plant enlarged (Dry). 4. Cross-section of stem (Diagrammatic). 5. Cross-section of stem (Cellular). 6–8. Leaves. 9,10. Cross-sections of leaf showing costa. 11. Apical leaf cells. 12. Median leaf cells near costa. 13. Median leaf cells near margin. 14. Basal leaf cells. 15–17. Perichaetial leaves. 18. Apical perichaetial leaf cells. 19. Median perichaetial leaf cells near costa. 20. Median perichaetial leaf cells near margin. 21. Basal perichaetial leaf cells near costa. 22. Basal perichaetial leaf cells near margin. 23. Cross-section of seta (Diagrammatic).24. Cross-section of seta (Cellular).25. Operculum. 26.Capsule.27. Exostome (Outer view).28. Exostome (Inner view) & Endostome. 29. Spores. All figures drawn from LWU 22472/12.