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Type: Article
Published: 2014-10-03
Page range: 151–162
Abstract views: 53
PDF downloaded: 64

On the systematic position of the genus Timmiella (Dicranidae, Bryopsida) and its allied genera, with the description of a new family Timmiellaceae

Department of Biological Science, Graduate school of Science, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1–3–1, Higashi-hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken 739–8526, Japan.
Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Mitsumaruko-yama 1156–2, Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken 739–0543, Japan.
systematic position Timmiella Dicranidae Bryopsida

Abstract

Based on our molecular phylogenetic analysis of haplolepideous mosses with concatenated sequences of chloroplast rps4 and rbcL genes, a new family Timmiellaceae is erected to accommodate the genera Timmiella and Luisierella, both of which have been formerly included in the family Pottiaceae.  The family Timmiellaceae is resolved as a second-branching clade together with Distichium (Distichiaceae) within the Dicranidae (haplolepideous moss) lineages and phylogenetically distinct from the Pottiaceae.  Reassessment of morphological characters suggests that a combination of the characters: 1) adaxially bulging and abaxially flat leaf surfaces, 2) sinistrorse or straight peristomes, when present, and 3) sinistrorsely arranged operculum cells is unique to Timmiellaceae and discriminates it from other haplolepideous moss families.