CATALOGUE OF THE HEPATICAE AND ANTHOCEROTAE OF BOLIVIA

Abstract

  More than one thousand species of hepatics have been recorded from Bolivia but many of these are erroneous and doubtful records, or synonyms. In this catalogue 415 species of liverworts, in 99 genera and 32 families, and 2 species of hornworts are accepted for the country. About 235 species are listed as erroneous or doubtful, needing verification, and 425 names are synonyms. The Bolivian liverwort flora is still very incompletely known and needs much more work. The distribution of the species in the country is very uneven. About 95% are recorded exclusively from the humid eastern slopes of the Andes or Yungas (Departments La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Beni), at elevations between 250-4500 m. Few species have been recorded from the Bolivian Tucuman forest and the lowlands of the Beni, and none from the dry Altiplano (Depts. Oruro, Potosi) and the Amazonian rain forests of Pando. A preliminary list of 17 species known only from Bolivia and 7 shared exclusively with Brazil, is provided. The new name Asterella alpina (Steph.) D. G. Long comb. nov. is proposed and Asterella boliviana (Steph.) A. Evans (=A. macropoda (Spruce) A. Evans, fide D. G. Long), Asterella fissisquama (Steph.) Hässel (=A. macropoda (Spruce) A. Evans, fide D. G. Long), Marsupella exigua Steph. (=Anastrophyllum tubulosum (Nees) Grolle, fide J. Vaña) and Marsupella pusilla Steph. (=Anastrophyllum auritum (Lehm.) Steph., fide J. Vaña) are new synonyms.