A CONSPECTUS OF THE LIVERWORT GENUS JENSENIA IN LATIN AMERICA

Abstract

  Five species of the simple thalloid liverwort Jensenia are confirmed to occur in Latin America, predominately in the Andean páramos. Jensenia spinosa, the most common species, is widely distributed from the West Indies to Central America and the higher elevations of northern South America while J. wallisii is found growing from the Guyana Highlands to Costa Rica. Jensenia difformis is known from Brazil, Tierra del Fuego and several subantarctic islands whereas J. crassifrons is known only from several subantarctic islands. Jensenia florschuetzii has the narrowest range and is restricted to the páramos above 3500 meters in Colombia and the province of Carchi in northern Equador.