Calomnion milleri Vitt

• Region

  Oceania

• Country

  Australia

• Locality

  Lord Howe Island, Mt. Lidgbird: On SSE slope, just E of Goat House Cave.

• Elevation

  Alt. 450 m. (1476 ft.)

• Coordinates

  -31.57, 159.1

• Distribution

  Map all specimens of this taxon

Volume 1
Number 2
1991
NOVON
A New Species of *Calomnion* (Bryopsida) from Lord Howe Island
Dale H. Vitt
Department of Botany, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G
*Calomnion* is small genus of mosses of about a
half dozen species that is restricted to the South
Pacific and Australasia. *Calomnion complanatum*
(Hook. f. & Wils.) Lindb. (*C. laetum* Hook. f. &
Wils., illegitimate, earlier species included) is reported from New Zealand and Australia, *C. denticulatum* Mitt. is known from Samoa, *C. schistos-
tegiellum* (Besch.) Wijk & Marg. is known from
the Society Islands, and *C. melanesicum* H. A.
Miller has recently been described from Vanuatu
and Fiji. The genus is defined by the following features: simple stems with terminal sex organs (acrocarpy), dimorphic leaves in three ranks, highly
differentiated perichaetial leaves, erect capsules, and
the complete absence of a peristome. From *Rhizogonium* sensu stricto, with which it shares many
characters, it is distinguished by erect capsules and
lack of a peristome. The leaves never possess a
margin defined by a border of elongate cells as do
some species of *Rhizogonium*. Species of *Calomnion* are found almost exclusively on tree fern trunks
that are heavily matted with adventitious roots.
During 1981, collections of bryophytes from Lord
Howe Island (31°30'S, 159°05′E) made by Helen
Ramsay and myself included several specimens that
represent a new species of *Calomnion*, here described as new to science.
*Calomnion milleri* Vitt, sp. nov. TYPE: Lord
Howe Island. E slope of Mt. Lidgbird, SE of
Goat House Cave on montane slope, 21 Nov.
1981, Vitt 28739 (holotype, ALTA; isotypes,
NY, NSW). Figures 1-11.
Plantae aureo-virides, ad 1.0 cm altae. Folia dimorpha,
oblonga, acuminata, aristata, margine incrassata, integra;
costa excurrente; cellulae superiores 6-8 µm latae, rotundo-quadratae, laeves. Perichaetia terminalia; folia 4.0-
5.0 mm longa, flexuosa subulata; costa longe excurrente.
Flores dioici. Setae 0.8-1.0 mm longae. Capsulae 1.2-
1.4 mm longae, cylindricae, erectae, laeves, immersae.
Peristomium nullum. Calyptrae cucullatae.
Plants small, delicate, up to 1.0 cm long, shiny,
golden green, in dense mats on tree fern trunks.
Stems erect from persistent protonemata, simple,
terminated by perigonia or perichaetia. Leaves along
proximal region of stems small, lanceolate, acuminate, monomorphic, loosely erect-spreading; leaves
along distal portions of stems larger, dimorphic, in
three distinct ranks; dorsal ranks of leaves somewhat
erect-falcate to erect-deflexed when dry, erect when
moist, 1.1-1.3 mm long, oblong to narrowly ovate-
oblong, acuminate, stoutly aristate, ventral rank of
leaves erect when dry, 0.7-0.8 mm long, ovate to
obovate, acuminate, cuspidate; margins entire,
thickened and appearing revolute; costa strong, upper
cells 6-8 µm wide, rounded-quadrate, thick-walled,
smooth; alar cells undifferentiated. Perichaetial leaves
loosely erect, strongly differentiated from vegetative
leaves, 4.0-5.0 mm long, linear to linear-lanceolate,
subulate to long-acuminate; perigonial leaves loosely
erect, strongly differentiated from vegetative leaves,
2.1-2.3 mm long, subulate from an ovate, sheathing, expanded base. Dioicous. Setae 0.8-1.0 mm
long, erect, smooth; capsules 1.2-1.4 mm long,
cylindric, smooth, erect, immersed, sometimes
slightly wider in lower portion; exothecial cells 12-
2

<i>Calomnion complanatum</i>
<i>Calomnion laetum</i>
<i>Calomnion denticulatum</i>
<i>Calomnion schistos-tegiellum</i>
<i>Calomnion melanesicum</i>
<i>Calomnion milleri</i>
<i>Rhizogonium</i>
<i>Hymenodon</i>

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