Campylopus flagelliferus (Müll.Hal.) A.Jaeger

  • Authority

    Buck, William R. 1987. Bryostephane Steereana: A Collection of Bryological Papers Presented to William Campbell Steere On The Occasion of His 80th Birthday. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 45: 1-749.

  • Family

    Dicranaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Campylopus flagelliferus (Müll.Hal.) A.Jaeger

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution: South India, Sri Lanka, Bomeo (Fig. 90).Ecology: This species occurs exclusively on bark of living trees and rarely on rotten logs at high altitudes.Specimen examined: MALAYSIA. Sabah: Mt. Kinabalu, on bark of Leptospermum sp. in the ultrabasic zone 2700 m, Campylopodes Malaysiae Exsiccatae 5.

  • Discussion

    Figs. 22-27.

    Campylopus flagelliferus has hitherto been reported only from South India and Sri Lanka. It is characterized by the presence of microphyllous branches in the axils of the upper leaves. It resembles C. flexuosus in the above character and also in the anatomical structure of the leaves. Campylopus flexuosus is a variable species and C. flagelliferus m a y represent an extreme variation of it. Since C. flagelliferus in Southeast Asia is quite distinct and does not show much variability variability intergrading into variations of C. flexuosus, it is treated here as a distinct species. However, the exact relation of the present species to C. flexuosus is not clear. It may represent a variety of C. flexuosus, the habitat of which is confined only to the bark of living trees at high altitudes. This may have been caused by the existence ofthe closely related C. comosus, which replaces C. flexuosus in this geographical region, and which has occupied all the ecological niches of C. flexuosus, that only the flagelliferous growth form (or ecotype?) of C. flexuosus can exist on this special habitat. In this respect, the longer setae and stereids of C. comosus in contrast with C. flexuosus may be interpreted as more advanced and successful characters.

  • Distribution

    Distribution: South India, Sri Lanka, Bomeo (Fig. 90).Ecology: This species occurs exclusively on bark of living trees and rarely on rotten logs at high altitudes.Specimen examined: MALAYSIA. Sabah: Mt. Kinabalu, on bark of Leptospermum sp. in the ultrabasic zone 2700 m, Campylopodes Malaysiae Exsiccatae 5.

    India Asia| Sri Lanka