THE CORRELATION BETWEEN TAXONOMY AND PERISTOME STRUCTURE IN THE BRYACEAE

Abstract

  An SEM survey was conducted to assess the degree of correlation between traditional generic concepts in the Bryaceae and peristome structure, especially patterns of ornamentation on dorsal exostomial surfaces. The most common ornamentation pattern in the family is reticulate-papillose, found in most species of Bryum, Pohlia, Rhodobryum, Acidodontium, and Epipterygium. Other ornamentation types found in the Bryaceae include papillose, striate, and smooth. Preliminary data indicate that Brachymenium is characterized by a distinctive exostomial ornamentation pattern which may provide a basis for refining the limits of that genus. Peristomial formulae in the family range from 4: 2: (2-)4 to 4 : 2: 14.