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Summary
Background and aims: The aim of this work was to increase the knowledge of the
bryoora of Uruguay based on the analysis of samples collected in Fortaleza Santa
Teresa National Park.
M&M: Specimens were collected, processed and analyzed morphologically using
conventional techniques for bryophytes. Microscopic characters were observed
and illustrated with light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Results: Calymperaceae Kindb. are recorded for the rst time to the country,
represented by Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii Mont. This species is characterized by
leaves strongly crispate when dry, and margins smooth to dentate at the apex.
Conclusions: A detailed description, illustrations with SEM and LM of S. gaudichaudii
is here presented.
Key wordS
Acrocarpous, cancellinae, Fortaleza Santa Teresa National Park, Syrrhopodon
gaudichaudii.
reSumen
Introducción y objetivos: El objetivo de este trabajo es contribuir al conocimiento
de la ora de briótos en Uruguay, por medio del estudio de colecciones realizadas
en el Parque Nacional Fortaleza Santa Teresa.
M&M: Las muestras se coleccionaron, procesaron y analizaron morfológicamente
mediante técnicas convencionales para briótas. Los caracteres microscópicos se
observaron e ilustraron con microscopía óptica (LM) y microscopía electrónica de
barrido (MEB).
Resultados: La familia Calymperaceae Kindb. se registra por primera vez en el país,
representada por Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii Mont. Esta especie se caracteriza por
las hojas crispadas cuando secas, con margen liso a dentado en el ápice.
Conclusiones: Se presenta una descripción detallada e ilustraciones en MO y MEB
de S. gaudichaudii.
PalabraS clave
Acrocárpicos, células cancelinas, Parque Nacional Fortaleza Santa Teresa,
Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii.
IntroductIon
Calymperaceae are a pantropical family dened by the presence of costate
leaves with a well-dened basal lamina formed from large, empty cells
with thin, usually perforate walls (Ellis, 2016). According to several authors
(Andrews, 1947; Magill, 1981; Ellis, 1985, 2016; La Farge et al., 2000; Fisher,
2007) this family is represented by taxa with leucobryoid leaves (Arthrocormus
Dozy & Molk., Exodictyon Cardot, Exostratum L.T.Ellis, and Leucophanes
Brid.) and taxa with non-leucobryoid leaves (Calymperes Sw. ex F.Weber,
Chameleion L.T.Ellis & A.Eddy., Mitthyridium H.Rob., and Syrrhopodon
Schwägr.). In the Neotropics, the most diverse of these genera are Syrrhopodon
and Calymperes, with 31 and 16 species, respectively (Gradstein et al., 2001).
1. Instituto de Botánica del
Nordeste (IBONE-CONICET-UNNE),
Sargento Cabral 2131, Corrientes,
Argentina.
2. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, (CONICET-
Fundación Miguel Lillo), Miguel
Lillo 251, San Miguel de Tucumán,
Tucumán, Argentina.
3. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e
Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad
Nacional de Tucumán; Miguel
Lillo 205, San Miguel de Tucumán,
Tucumán, Argentina.
*suarezgm@csnat.unt.edu.ar
Citar este artículo
CABRAL, R. A., M. S. JIMENEZ
and G. M. SUÁREZ. 2020.
Calymperaceae, a new family to
the bryological flora of Uruguay.
Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55: 359-367.
DOI: https://doi.
org/10.31055/1851.2372.v55.
n3.28520
Richard A. Cabral
1
, María S. Jimenez
1
y Guillermo M. Suárez
2,3
*
calymPeraceae, a new famIly to the bryologIcal
flora of uruguay
calymPeraceae, una nueva famIlIa Para la flora brIológIca de
uruguay
Recibido: 8 Mayo 2020
Aceptado: 30 Junio 2020
Publicado: 30 Septiembre 2020
Editor: Gabriel Bernardello
ISSN versión impresa 0373-580X
ISSN versión on-line 1851-2372
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Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55 (3) 2020
Syrrhopodon was described in 1824 by
Schwägrichen, and includes ca. 115 accepted
species (O’Shea, 2001). It is mostly epiphytic
on tree bases, trunks and branches, but also
occasionally on soil or rocks (Reese, 1993). The
genus commonly occurs in humid or semi-dry
lowland forests, but its diversity decreases in
montane forests above 3000 m asl (Gradstein et al.,
2001). Diagnostic characters include: erect stems;
leaves composed of a semi-sheathing, clasping,
hyaline base that narrows distally into a lanceolate,
ligulate or linear chlorophyllose limb; the costa
is strong, percurrent to shortly-excurrent; cells in
the chlorophyllose lamina are largely isodiametric,
often papillose or spinose; hyaline cells forming the
basal lamina are sub-rectangular, thin-walled, often
porose, and a narrow marginal limbidium often
extends from the leaf base to (or near to) the leaf
apex (Reese, 1993; BFNA, 2007).
In America, Reese (1977, 1978, 1993) classied
the species in two major groups, limbate and
elimbate, based on the presence/absence in the
leaves of a complete or incomplete margin of linear
hyaline cells (most often stereids). Syrrhopodon
gaudichaudii Mont. has limbate leaves, and can
easily be distinguished from other limbate species.
The hyaline basal part of the leaf is appressed to the
stem, but when dry, the chlorophyllose leaf limb
is unusually strongly crispate; the cancellinae in
the leaf base are well developed; the limbate leaf
margin is largely entire, but dentate at the leaf apex;
acute teeth are also notable on the dorsal surface
near the apex of the costa (Ellis, 2018). Although
this taxon is known through the Neotropics from
the southern United States to northern Argentina
(Reese, 1993), there has been no record of S.
gaudichaudii, or indeed the family Calymperaceae,
in Uruguay (Matteri, 2004).
Among collections made by the authors in
2011 from the eastern part of Fortaleza Santa
Teresa National Park (Uruguay), an unexplored
area of this country, were samples identiable as
Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii. Therefore, the family
Calymperaceae is known in Uruguay for the rst
time, represented by S. gaudichaudii. This nding,
among others discovered through the last years by
the authors (Ellis et al., 2011, 2012a, 2012b; Suárez
& Schiavone, 2013; Flores & Suárez, 2014; Suárez
et al., 2014, 2017; Jimenez et al., 2019), highlights
the oristic singularity and the scarce knowledge
of the bryophytic ora in the country. A detailed
description of the species and illustration in SEM and
LM is here presented.
materIal and methodS
Samples collected were processed and deposited
at CTES and LIL. The specimens were analyzed
morphologically with conventional techniques
for bryophytes and mounted in Hoyer´s solution
(Anderson, 1954). Microscopic characters were
observed and illustrated with light microscopy (LM)
Leica CME and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
JEOL 5800 LV. Characters illustrated using SEM
were obtained from samples xed in formaldehyde-
acetic-acid-alcohol-water (FAA), critical-point dried,
mounted on double-sided tape and coated with gold-
palladium. Spores were obtained from mature opened
capsules, removed with FAA, mounted directly on
aluminum stubs and subsequently coated with gold-
palladium. Spores were described following Punt et
al. (2007) and Brubaker et al. (1998). Samples were
compared with identied collections preserved in
CTES and LIL.
reSultS
Taxonomic treatment
Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii Mont. Annales
des Sciences Naturelles; Botanique, sér. 2, 2:
376, 16 f. 3. 1834. TYPE: [Brazil], ‘au pied des
arbres, où il forme de beaux gazons, dans l’ile de
Sainte-Catherine’, [leg. Gaudichaud] ‘(… in herb.
Gaudich. n. 11)’. (LECTOTYPE selected by Ellis,
Journal of Bryology 40(2), 137–142. 2018: BM;
isolectotypes BM, G, P, NY). Figs. 1-5.
For a complete synonymy see Orban (1981);
Reese (1983) and Ellis (2018).
Plants in dense tufts, greenish-gray to dark-
green; stems 0.6–(2.0)–3 cm long, highly
branched, 125 µm diameter, central strand absent,
epidermis bistratose. Leaves loosely to tightly
crispate when dry, uncurled to patent when wet,
2–3 mm long, lanceolate to ligulate-acuminate,
with a hyaline base narrowing into linear-ligulate,
broadly channelled chlorophyllose limb; margins
entire at base, toothed at the apex, limbidium
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R. A. Cabral et al. - Calymperaceae, new to Uruguay
Fig. 1. A. Detail of capsule with calyptra. B. Detail of capsule without calyptra. C. Detail of the gametophyte
when dry. D. Detail of the plant when wet (Suárez 1067, 1128; CTES). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.
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Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55 (3) 2020
Fig. 2. A. Leaf. B. Apex of leaf. C. Base of leaf with well-developed cancellinae. D. Stem in transverse
section. E. Costa in transverse section. F. Detail of leaf margin with 3-4 rows of hyaline cells (Suárez 1067,
1128; CTES). Scale bars: 50 µm.
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Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55 (3) 2020
R. A. Cabral et al. - Calymperaceae, new to Uruguay
Fig. 3. A, B, C. Habit of the plant when dry. D, E. Habit of the plant when wet. F. Leaves. G. Sporophyte with
calyptra. H. Detail of the calyptra. I, J. Deoperculate capsules. K. Operculate capsule (Suárez 1067, 1128;
CTES). Scale bars: 1 mm.
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Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55 (3) 2020
Fig. 4. Gametophyte in SEM. A. Complete plant. B. Detail of the curled limb of the leaf. C. Detail of the
toothed costae and margin at the apex of the leaf. D. Pluripapillose laminal cells at the median part of the
chlorophyllose limb (Suárez 1067, 1128; CTES). Scale bars: A-B: 1 mm; C-D: 50 µm.
well developed, with 4 rows of elongate, hyaline
cells at base, becoming 2 rows at the apex; apex
obtuse, often ending in a large apical tooth;
costae percurrent, dorsal surface toothed at the
apex; cancellinae distinct, cells 21.5(–52.5–)99.6
× 16.6(–30.1–)48.1 µm, rectangular, elongate
towards the margin, median and upper laminal cells
6.6(–23.4–)58.1 × 8.3(–15.9–)36.5 µm, quadrate
to isodiametric, pluripapillose (4–5 papillae per
lumen). Setae 3.5–4 mm long, red. Capsules
cylindrical, 1–1.5 mm long, brown. Peristome
teeth 101–124.5 µm, papillose. Operculum conic-
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R. A. Cabral et al. - Calymperaceae, new to Uruguay
Fig. 5. Sporophyte in SEM. A. Operculate capsule. B. Deoperculate capsule. C. Peristome. D. Detail
of the peristome teeth. E. Spore in distal view. F. Spore in equatorial view. G. Close-up of the gemmate
ornamentation (Suárez 1067, 1128; CTES). Scale bars: A–B: 1 mm; C: 100 µm; D: 50 µm; E–F: 10 µm; G:
5 µm.
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Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 55 (3) 2020
rostrate. Calyptra cucullate. Spores spheroidal, in
equatorial view plane-convex, 13–15(–19.9) µm,
yellow, nely gemmate, gemmae heterogenously
dispersed at surface.
Distribution and habitat. It has been recorded
from continental Africa, the East African Islands
and eastern Oceania. In America its range of
distribution extends to the southeastern United
States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica,
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guadalupe, Colombia,
Venezuela, Suriname, Ecuador, Bolivia, south of
Brazil and northern Argentina (Reese, 1978, 1993;
Matteri, 2003). It is recorded here for the rst
time from Uruguay. This species forms cushions
closely packed on tree trunks, decaying logs, soil
and rocks (Ellis, 2018).
Comments. Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii is easily
recognized in the eld by its whitish leaves due
to the presence of well-developed cancellinae,
the base of leaves appressed to the stem, and the
strongly curled limb when dry.
Specimens examined. URUGUAY. Rocha:
Parque Nacional Fortaleza Santa Teresa,
34°00´7.87´´S, 53°33´21.63´´W, 33 m snm,
sobre roca, 03/01/2011, G. Suárez 1067 (CTES,
LIL); 10/01/2011, G. Suárez 1128 (CTES, LIL).
ARGENTINA. Corrientes: Reserva Natural
Privada Paraje Tres Cerros, Cerro Nazareno,
en grietas de las rocas, abundante, húmedo y
sombrío, 29°06´32.79´´S, 56°55´55.82´´W, 171 m
snm, 2/12/12, Jimenez et al. 449 (CTES).
authorS contrIbutIon
RC determined and described the samples;
MSJ illustrated in SEM and LM, GMS collected
and conrmed the determination, all authors have
worked simultaneously on the manuscript.
acKnowledgmentS
The authors thank L.T. Ellis for constructive
comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.
This research was supported by SGCyT (UNNE),
CONICET, PICT 2016-0810 and, PIUNT G631.
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