Tortula hoppeana, the Correct Name for Desmatodon latifolius in Tortula (Bryopsida, Pottiaceae)

• Main Author: Ryszard Ochyra
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: The American Bryological and Lichenological Society 2004
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745(2004)107[497:THTCNF]2.0.CO;2

Tortula euryphylla R. H. Zander is an illegitimate superfluous replacement of Desmatodon latifolius (Hedw.) Brid. (= Dicranum latifolium Hedw.) under the generic name Tortula Hedw. There are eleven earlier specific epithets that refer to species considered conspecific with D. latifolius, including Trichostomum hoppeanum Schultz, Desmatodon guentheri Sendtn., and Didymodon theobaldii Pfeff. and examination of the relevant types confirms their identity with this species. Accordingly, the specific epithet of Trichostomum hoppeanum Schultz of 1828, the earliest of these names, should be used as the correct name for Desmatodon latifolius upon its transfer to Tortula and this species should be named Tortula hoppeana (Schultz) Ochyra, comb. nov. Trichostomum hoppeanum is lectotypified with the specimen from the Hoppe herbarium at GZU and a list of the heterotypic synonyms of Tortula hoppeana at the species rank is given. The first record of T. hoppeana from Antarctica is cited and, accordingly, this species is established as a bipolar disjunct taxon.