Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, Ser. B, 22(1), pp. 11- 18, March 22, 1996

A Collection of Hypnaceous Mosses from theEast Himalaya and Yunnan
By

Masanobu HIGUCHI
Department of Botany, National Science Museum,4- 1- 1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan
andDavid G. LONG
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, Scotland, U. K .
Abstract Eighteen species of the family Hypnaceae are reported from the East
Himalaya and Yunnan. Among them, Gollania revoluta Higuchi is described as new toscience. Four species, Ectropothecium sikkimense , E. zollingeri, Gollania ruginosa andHypnum hamulosum, are new to Bhutan. Gollaniajaponica is new to Yunnan.

This is a report on the hypnaceous mosses collected mainly by D. G. LONG
in Nepal, India, Bhutan and China (Yunnan) in 1975-1990. A few collections
made by R. J. D. McBEATH and W. D . FOSTER in Nepal, D. M. HENDERSON in
Darjeeling and J. C. HUTCHISON in Bhutan are included. Among the collection,
we recognized 18 species of hypnaceous mosses, including a new species, Gollania
revoluta Higuchi. Four species, Ectropothecium sikkimense, E. zollingeri, Gollania
ruginosa and Hypnum hamulosum, are new additions to the moss flora of Bhutan(cf. LoNG 1994) . All specimens cited here are deposited in the herbarium ofRoyal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (E) , and the duplicates in the herbarium of the
National Science Museum, Tokyo (TNS) .
Enumeration of species

1. Ectropothecium sikkimense (Ren. et Card.) Ren. et Card., Bull. Soc. R. Bot.
Belg. 41(1): 109 (1905).
Nepal. Tamur River near Chirwa, 1350 m, on wet rock slab on riverbank in open woodland(Long 16564) ; between Khesewa and Kunjuri, 2130m, on grassy slope on open ridge (Long 17453) .
Bhutan. Hills above Phuntsholing (6 km beyond Kamji) , 1625 m, on damp rocks in moist
broad-leaved forest (Long 7767) .
Distribution. India (Mussoorie, W. Bengal) , Nepal and Sikkim. New to Bhutan.

Although RENAULD and CARDOT (1905), BROHL (1931) and GANGULEE

12Masanobu HIGUCHI and David G . LONG

(1969- 1980) reported this species from Bhutan, LONG (1994) pointed out thatthey are based on a DUREL specimen from Kalirnpong district of West Bengal,
India.
2. Ectropothecium zollingeri (C. Muell.) Jaeg., Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges.
1877-78: 272 (1880).
Bhutan. Sarbhang district, Longa Khola near Phipsoo, 300 m, on vertical soil bank in
subtropical riverine forest (Long 10630) .
Distribution. Nepal, India (W. Bengal) , Assam, Thailand, Laos, Malay Pen. , Sumatra, Java,
Borneo, Celebes, Seram (Amboina) , China, Taiwan, Japan, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Fiji and
Hawaii. New to Bhutan.

This species is characterized by acute, ovate-lanceolate, asymmetrical leaves
and distinct, forked costae, and its median lamina! cells are smooth to prorate at
upper ends dorsally (cf. HIGUCHI and lWATSUKI, 1994) . The plants in thisspecimen (Long 10630) have clearly prorate lamina! cells.
Gollania japonica (Card.) Ando et Higuchi, Hikobia Suppl. 1: 192 ( 1981) .
Syn. Macrothamnium setschwanicum Broth., Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wien
Math.-Nat. Kl. Abt. 1, 131: 218 (1922) . fide HIGUCHI (1985).

3.

China. Yunnan Province, Tsang Shan, Xi Shan ridge W of Huadianba, 3395 m, on trunk of
Rhododendron on exposed ridge with bamboo-Rhododendron forest (Long 19300).
Distribution. Nepal, China (Sichuan) , Taiwan and Japan. New to Yunnan.

Plants in the specimen Long 19300 cited above show branches that are more
slender and lamina! cells somewhat shorter than those of the usual form. This
slender form was named Macrothamnium setschwanicum by BROTHERUS (1922) .
4. Gollania ruginosa (Mitt.) Broth. in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 1055
(1908).
Bhutan. Thimphu district, Dotena, Thimphu Chu, 2700m, on river bank in Quercus-,
Picea-Rhododendron forest (Long 10880).
Distribution. N .W. India, China (Yunnan, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang) , Taiwan,
Japan, Korea and Russia Far East. New to Bhutan.

This species is sometimes very difficult to distinguish from G. clarescens, inparticular when sterile. Gollania clarescens differs from G. ruginosa in flat ventral
stern leaves and thin-walled, almost smooth median lamina! cells.
5.

Gollania schensiana Higuchi, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 59: 29 (1985) .

Nepal. Kathmandu Valley, Royal Botanic Garden, Godavari, l550m, on shady bank in open
woodland (Long 17583); Hile (near Dhankuta), 2300m, on damp soil (Foster M86) .
Distribution. N.W. India, Nepal, Bhutan and China (Shannxi) .

This species is the commonest species of Gollania in the Himalayas. Recently
HIGUCHI and Wu (1995) reported G. schensiana from Sichuan Province, China.

Hypnaceous mosses from the East Himalaya and Yunnan

6.

13

Gollania turgens (C. Muell.) Ando, Bot. Mag. Tokyo 79: 769 (1966).

China. Yunnan Province, Yulong Shan, Xie Ren Ji valley above Mu Zhou Go Valley, 3560m,
on shady limestone blocks under Abies in steep limestone valley with scree and degraded Abies forest(Long 19106).
Distribution. Nepal, China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi) , Japan, Russia Far East,
Alaska and W. Canada.

Recently HIGUCHI and Wu (1995) reported this species from Yunnan
Province, China.
7.

Hypnum hamulosum B.S.G., Bryol. Eur. 6: 96 (1854) . Det. H. ANDO.

Nepal. Lhonak to Pang Pema, Kangchenjunga Glacier, 4800m, amongst block scree in rocky
glacier valley (Long 16838).
Bhutan. Thimphu District, forested valley above Chenkaphug (east ofThimphu), 3150m, on
shrub in marshy hollow in mixed Picea-, Tsuga-, Abies-, Larix-, Juniperus-Rhododendron forest (Long8799) ; tributary of Longte Chu at Charikhachor Chorten near Chendebi (west of Tongsa), 2450 m,
on sloping rock slab by stream in deeply shaded ravine in forest (Long 8067).
Distribution. Widely distributed in arctic-alpine areas of the Nothern Hemisphere. New to
Bhutan.

8.

Hypnum lindbergii Mitt., J. Bot. 2: 123 (1864). Det. H. ANDO.

China. Yunnan Province, Zhongdian District, river valley in Bi Ta Hai Forest Reserve, 3360
m, in marshy ground on river bank in pine forest (Long 18560).
Distribution. Widely distributed in temperate to arctic areas of the Northern Hemisphere anddisjunctively in S. America (Brasil) .

9.

Hypnum macrogynum Besch., Ann. Se. Nat. Bot. ser. 7, 15: 91 (1892) . Det.
H. ANDO.

Nepal. Kathmandu Valley, Royal Botanic Garden, Godavari, 1550m, on mossy bank in open
woodland (Long 17596) ; near Gupha Pokhari, 2920 m, on Berberis in open degraded Rhododendron
forest (Long 17534); Ghunsa Khola between Kyapra and Pheri, 2850m, on bank in Abies-, Tsuga-,
Quercus-Rhododendron forest (Long 16683) ; Yalung Valley near Lapsang, 4325 m, on bank ofmoraine in open glacier valley (Long 17063).
Bhutan. Thimphu Chu (6km north of Thimphu Dzong), 2600m, under pine trees (Grierson& Long 149) ; above Motithang, Thimphu, 2600m, on dead pine log (Grierson & Long 666); wooded
valley, southwest of Dukye Dzong, Paro, 2800m, on grassy ground under scrub (Grierson & Long271); east side of Dochu La (ea. 200m below pass), 3000m, on roadside boulder (Grierson & Long587) ; Dochu La, 3200m, on earthy bank in forest (Grierson & Long 371) ; Bumthang District, Phok
Phey below Rudong La, 3750m, on boggy open ground among short grazed bamboo (Hutchison 5);
near Byakar Dzong, Bumtang Chu, 2750m, on turf slopes in open Pinus wallichiana forest (Long8268) ; Thimphu district, Dechencholing Bridge, 2370m, on bank under trees in Quercus griffithii
forest (Long 7795) .
China. Yunnan Province, Anfengying (west ofKunming), 1850m, on soil bank under trees in
Keteleeria-Calocedrus woodland by village (Long 18466) ; Chingdien, near Kunming, 2100m, onrocks by footpath on slopes with Pin us yunnanensis woodland (Long 18452) ; Tsang Shan, path below
Longquan Peak, above Dali, 3460 m, on rocks under Abies in Abies- , Rhododendron-bamboo forest on
exposed ridge (Long 19162).

14

Masanobu HIGUCHI and David G. LONG

Distribution. East and South Africa, Madagascar, Mascarene Is., Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan,
Assam, Burma, Malaysia, China (Xizang, Yunnan, Sichuan) and Taiwan.

Recently ANDO (1995) pointed out that 'Hypnum adimcoides (Brid.) C.
Muell.' (not H. cupressiforme var. aduncoides Brid.) of southeastern Africa isconspecific with H. macrogynum Besch.

10. Hypnum submolluscum Besch., Ann. Se. Nat. Bot. ser. 7, 15: 93 (1892).
Det. H . ANDO.
China. Yunnan Province, Zhongdian District, Ge Zao area (15 km north of Zhongdian) , 3550
m, on damp limestone slab on small rocky limestone hill (Long 18693) ; Yulong Shan, Xie Ren Ji
valley, above Mu Zhou Go valley, 3620m, on mossy limestone boulder under Abies in steep limestone
valley with scree and degraded Abies forest (Long 19112) .
Distribution. Bhutan and China (Yunnan, Sichuan).

11. Leptohymenium tenue (Hook.) Schwaegr., Sp. Muse. Suppl. 3(1): 246c
(1828).
Nepal. Descent from Buje Daurali to Nesum, Tamur Valley, 2620m, on bank in mossy
oak-Rhododendron forest (Long 16515) ; Basantapur (NE of Dankuta), ea. 2300m, on tree trunk(Foster M2).
Bhutan. Thimphu District, Pumo La, 3450 m, on trees in shaded wooded area (Hutchison 1 ).
Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, China (Yunnan) and Philippines.

This species, when sterile, is somewhat like Macrothamnium macrocarpum,
but it is distinguished by its less serrate, longer decurrent leaves.

12. Macrothamnium leptohymenioides Nog., Kumamoto J. Se. Biol. 11: 6(1972).
Nepal. N bank of Simbua Khola below Tseram, 3450 m, on tree trunk in Abies-Rhododendron
forest (Long 17116) .
Distribution. Nepal.

This is the third record of this species in addition to 'Thakma Khola-Diorali
Bhanjang, E. Nepal' (NoGUCHI, 1972) and 'Bakrekharka, C. Nepal' (ANDO andNOGUCHI, 1979).

13. Macrothamnium macrocarpum (Reinw. et Hornsch.) Fleisch., Hedwigia 44:308 (1905).
Nepal. Barun Khola below Makalu, 320Q-4000m, in Abies-Rhododendron forest (McBeath1354) ; Shidua ridge above Hille, 2380m, on boulder on cliff on open hillside (Long 16437); between
Nesum and Buje Daurali, 2290 m, on bank in shady evergreen oak forest (Long 17498); Lower slopesof Dobala Danda above Yamphudin, 1920m, on wet rocks by waterfall in ravine in warm
broad-leaved forest (Long 17276); N-facing slopes of Dobala Danda above Kabeli Khola, 2350 m, on
wet rocks stream in ravine in wet mossy oak/laurel forest (Long 173 71) .
India. Darjeeling, 2500m, on tree trunk (Henderson s.n. ).
Bhutan. Chukka district, forested ridge E of Jumudag, 2080 m, on log in evergreen oak forest(Long 10482); Gaylegphug district, summit ridge N of Chabley Khola, 66km post, 2100m, onHypnaceous mosses from the East Himalaya and Yunnan

15boulder in evergreen oak forest (Long 10681).
Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China (Yunnan), Java,
Philippines, Taiwan and Japan.

This species is very variable in size and leaf shape. Plants in the specimen
Long 17371 have dark-green colour, ovate and strongly concave leaves withweakly serrate leaf margins and thin-walled, indistinctly prorate lamina! cells.
This form is usually found in wet habitats.
14. Macrothamnium submacrocarpum (Ren. et Card.) Fleisch., Hedwigia 44:308 (1905).
Nepal. N-facing slopes of Dobala Danda above Kabeli Khola, 2340 m, on mossy bank in steep
valley in mossy oak-laurel forest (Long 17337) .
India. Tongloo La, ea. 2300m, on trunk of Machilus (Henderson s.n.), ea. 2900m, on tree
trunk (Henderson s.n.).
Bhutan. Dochu La, 3200m, on earthy bank in forest (Grierson & Long 370), on humus onbank (Grierson & Long 381); Punakha district, between Dochong La and Menchunang, 2750m, on
mossy bank in evergreen oak forest (Long 10949); W slopes below Yuto La (E ofTongsa), 3120m,
on mossy log in moist Tsuga-Rhododendron forest (Long 8257), 3270m, on damp boulder in mossy
Abies densa-Rhododendron forest (Long 8031) .
Distribution. W. Himalaya, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Thailand and Taiwan.

15. Orontobryum hookeri (Mitt.) Fleisch. in Broth. in Engler & Prantl, Nat.
Pft. ed.2, 11:261 (1925).
Bhutan. Dochu La, 3200m, on earthy bank in forest (Grierson & Long 372).
Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.

16.

Ptilium crista-castrensis (Hedw.) De Not., Cronac. Briol. !tal. 2: 17 (1867) .

Nepal. Yalung valley near Lapsang, 4200m, on moraine ridge at open glacier valley (Long17043); Ghunsa Khola, Ghunsa, 3440m, on steep rocky riverbank with Larix-Rhododendron scrub(Long 16749).
. Bhutan. Nr summit of Thrumse La above Sengor, in mossy turf in mossy Abies-Rhododendron
forest (Long 8697); Thimphu district, forested valley above Chenkaphug (E of Thimphu) , 3300m,
on bank in mossy Abies-, Juniperus-Rhododendron forest (Long 8800) .
China. Yunnan Province, Zhongdian district, Wu Fang Shan near Zhongdian, 3390m, on
humus on damp forest floor in mossy Quercus-Larix forest (Long 18528); Tsang Shan, path below
Longquan Peak above Dali, 3470m, in mossy clearing in Abies- , Rhododendron-bamboo forest on
exposed ridge (Long 19174) .
Distribution. Europe, Caucasus, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, China, Taiwan, Japan,
Korea, Siberia, N. America and Greenland.

17.

Pylaisiella falcata (B. S. G.) Ando, Phyta 1: 14 (1978).

Bhutan. Below Umsho (W side of Dochu La), 3000m, on shrub (Grierson & Long 306) ;Thimpu district, Thimphu above Pajoding monasteries, 3900m, on Juniper stems on rocky scree withdwarf Juniperus-Rhododendron (Long 10908).
China. Yunnan Province, Zhongdian district, Wu Fang Shan near Zhongdian, 3450m, on tree

16

Masanobu HIGUCHI and David G. LONG

trunk on wooded slope with Betula-, Quercus-, Larix-Sorbus (Long 18533).
Distribution. Nepal, Bhutan, Assam, China (Xizang, Yunnan, Sichuan), Mexico, Guatemala,Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Venezuela.

Description of new species
Gollania revoluta Higuchi, sp. nov.
(Fig. 1)
Dioica? Caulis repens, ad 3 cm longus, complanatifoliosis, irregulariter
pinnatim ramosus, ramis inaequilongis, complanatifoliosis, ad 0.5 cm longis.
Pseudoparaphyllia foliacea, lanceolata. Folia caulina infirme falcato-secunda,
ovato-lanceolata, apice sensim breviter acuminata, e basi subcordata, concava,
nervis binis, distinctis, marginibus recurvis, superne serratis, inferne serrulatis,
cellulis medianis linearibus, alaribus subquadratis vel rectangularibus. Folia
ramea minora, oblongo-lanceolata, ceterum similia. Fructus ignotus.
Dioicous? Plants small for the genus, yellowish-green, somewhat glossy andtinged with red-brown. Stems prostrate, to 3 cm long, elliptical in cross-section,with a slightly ditferenti~.ted central strand, irregularly pinnate-branched; leafy
stems complanate; branches complanate, irregular in length, to 0.5 cm long.
Pseudoparaphyllia lanceolate, 4-5 cells wide at base. Dorsal stem leaves weakly
falcate, ovate-lanceolate, gradually or somewhat abruptly narrowed to a shortacumen, subcordate at base, long-decurrent, deeply concave, sometimes plicate,
1. 3-1.7 X 0. 7-{). 9 mm; margins recurved throughout (except for the apical part),
irregularly serrate above, weakly serrulate below; costae double, distinct, 1/2- 3/5
the leaf length, convex on ventral surface, three layers of cell in cross-section ofmedian part, usually united at base; median lamina} cells linear, weakly ftexuose,lumina 2G-40( -50) X 3-4 J1m, thin-walled, smooth; upper lamina} cells rarely
prorate at upper ends on dorsal side; basallaminal cells larger and thicker-walled
than median cells, porose; alar cells differentiated, subquadrate to rectangular, 812 in median longitudinal row, 8- 10 in transverse row. Ventral stem leaves
round-ovate, scarcely or only slightly falcate. Branch leaves smaller, oblonglanceolate, 0.9-1.5 X0.4-D.6mm.
Sexual organs and sporophytes unknown.
Type: China. Yunnan Province, Yulong Shan, Wo Tu Di, 3580m, on wet

Fig. I. Gollania revoluta Higuchi. I. Plant. 2. Dorsal view of leafy stem. 3. Ventral viewof leafy stem. 4. Dorsal stem leaf. 5. Lateral stem leaf. 6. Ventral stem leaf. 7- 10.
Lamina! cells of stem leaf (7 : apical part, 8: median central part, 9: median marginal
part, 10: alar part) . 11. Pseudoparaphyllia. 12. Axillary hairs. 13. Lamina) cells of
decurrent part of stem leaf on stem. 14, 15. Transverse sections of median part of stem
leaves. 16. Dorsal branch leaf. 17. Lateral branch leaf. 18. Ventral branch leaf. 1922. Lamina) cells of branch leaf (19 : apical part, 20: median central part, 21: medianmarginal part, 22: alar part) . 23. Part of transverse section of stem. All drawn fromholotype.

Hypnaceous mosses from the East Himalaya an d Yunnan

Fig. 1.

17

18

Masanobu HIGUCHI and David G. LONG

limestone rocks by stream at limestone ravine on steep mountain slope (Long
18950, holotype in E; isotypes in HIRO, KUN, TNS).
Other specimen examined. China. Yunnan Province, Bi Ye Go Valley, N of
Yangtze Bridge at Lou Swang, 3100m, on steep mossy bank in gully in steep
valley with wet Abies-bamboo forest (Long 18745).
Distribution. China (Yunnan).
This new species is distinguished from the other known species of the genus
by the following characters: (1) plants small; (2) leafy stems complanate; (3) leaf
margins recurved throughout (except for the apical part); ( 4) leaves longdecurrent; and (5) costae distinct, 1/2-3/5 the leaf length, consisting of threelayers of cells in cross-section at median part. The decurrent parts of leaves
sometimes remain on the stem when the leaves are removed (Fig. 1: 13).
Gollania tereticaulis Broth., known from China (Yunnan), resembles thepresent new species by the plant size and falcate, deeply concave leaves, but iseasily distinguished by the plane leaf margins, shorter costae ( 1/9-1 /5 the leaf
length) and distinctly prorate lamina} cells.
Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. H. ANDO who kindly identified Hypnum species andgave valuable suggestions.
References
Ando, H., 1995. What is 'Hypnum aduncoides (Brid.) C. Muell.' from Africa? Fragm. Flor.
Geobot. 40( I): 189-196.
Ando, H. & A. Noguchi, 1979. Hypnaceae. In Z. Iwatsuki (comp.), Mosses from Central Nepal
collected by the Kochi Himalaya Expedition, 1976. J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 46: 381- 384.
Brtihl, P., 1931. A census of Indian Mosses. Records of the Botanical Survey of India 13: 1- 135.
Gangulee, H. C., 1969-1980. Mosses of Eastern India and adjacent regions. Vols. 1- 3. Calucutta.
Higuchi, M., 1985. A taxonomic revision of the genus Gollania Broth. (Musci). J. Hatt. Bot. Lab.
59: 1- 77.
Higuchi, M. & Z. Iwatsuki, 1994. New Caledonian Ectropothecium (Hypnaceae). J. Hattori Bot.
Lab. 75: 85- 95.
Higuchi, M. & P.-C. Wu, 1995. A note on the genus Gollania (Musci) from Southwestern China,
with a description of a new species, G. homalothecioides. J. Jpn. Bot. 70: 239-242.
Long, D. G., 1994. Mosses of Bhutan 11. A checklist of the mosses of Bhutan. J. Bryology 18: 339364.