The Mosses of the Ongul Island and Adjoining Coastal Areas ofthe Antarctic Continent

• Main Authors: Yoshiwo Horikawa, Hisatsugu Ando
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Botanical Institute, Hiroshima University 1967
• Subjects: Antarctic; Ongul; Ongul Island; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=97; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00000097/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=97&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Moss collections from the Ongul area include three species : Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid., Bryum argenteum Hedw. (both cosmopolitan), and Bryum inconnexum Card. (endemic). The Ongul specimens of Ceratodon purpureus observed are characterized by the obtuse leaves with the costa diminishing below the apex. The lamina-cells tend to be somewhat larger than in usual specimens from moderate regions. The chromosome number is n=13. Ongul specimens of Bryum argenteum show considerable differences from its typical form : the leaves tend to be obtuse, the colorless part of leaf is indistinct or absent, and the costa is rather long ending just below the apex; monoicous, having diploid number of chromosomes, n=20. Bryum inconnexum shows a good deal of variability, especially in the shape of leaves, feature of leaf-margins, and the length of the costa. This species was reduced by some authors to a synonym of B. antarcticum Hook. f. and Wils., but such a treatment is not acceptable. Bryum antarcticum is quite a different species. The chromosome number of B. inconnexum is of diploid level, namely, n=20. General characters seen in Antarctic mosses are summarized as : growing in compact tufts; frequent innovations; rich growth of rhizoids; tendency of the leaves to be obtuse at the apex; vegetative reproduction by means of fragmentation of stems or branches, separation of innovations, and initiation of buds ("gemmae") on the rhizoid protonema; large ability to resist low temperature and long desiccation.