THE EPIPHYTIC BRYOPHYTE COMMUNITY ON SHIIA CUSPIDATA MAKINO

Abstract

The investigation of the epiphytic bryophyte community on the trunk of Shiia cuspidata MAKINO on the western side of Mt. Kamimata, about 140m. sea level, Tsudai-mura, Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku, is here reported by the writer. On the trunk of four sample trees there were found 41 species of Hepaticae and 12 species of Musci, Frequent species in this epiphytic bryophyte community are Lejeunea bon ensis, Metzgeria hamata, Pycnolejeunea obtusilobula, Brachiolejeunea sandvicensis, Ptychocoleus nipponicus, Frullania densiloba, Fr. truncatifolia, Fr. kagoshimensis, etc. The physiognomy of the epiphytic bryophyte community on Shiia cuspid ta MAKINO is characterized by the growth-form of the above mentioned species. The chief growth-form is of the Hardly pressed mat type (Hp). Epiphytic species can be divided into six distributional types by the vertical range and the value of frequency. Typical type of vertical distribution on the trunk of Shiia cuspidata MAKINO is Type E. This distributes from the lower part of the trunk to the upper crown and shows the greatest value of frequency at the crown base. Typical species of this type are Brachiolejeunea sandvicensis, Frullania densiloba and Ptychocoleus nipponicus.