The hepatic flora of Alberta: a phytogeographical analysis

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Authors: Bird, Charles D., Hong, Won Shic
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1975
• Subjects: Plant Science; Arctic; Parkland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b75-204; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b75-204

A survey of the literature combined with field studies and the reexamination of many historical collections reveals that the hepatic flora of Alberta is composed of 114 taxa, consisting of 26 families and 46 genera. Two species. Gymnomitrion corallioides and Scapania mucronata, are reported as new to the province. Two species are excluded from the hepatic flora as they have been incorrectly attributed to Alberta. Twenty-five taxa have been designated as hypothetical for the province as no valid voucher specimens have been located. Most (109) of the 114 taxa present are Circumpolar in distribution, 4 are American, and 1 is Amphi-Atlantic. The range of most (98) of the Alberta species includes the Boreal Forest and forested areas in the mountains; however, 57 of these species also occur in Arctic and in Alpine regions, and 22 of them occur south into temperate areas. Only a few species have other distributions: 10 are Arctic Alpine. 3 are Cordilleran, 3 are Temperate, 2 are Boreal, and 1 is Boreal-Temperate. One hundred and two species have been found in the Rocky Mountains, 59 in the Boreal Forest, 7 in the Cypress Hills, 6 in the Aspen Parkland, and 3 in the Prairies.