Austral Hepaticae XV. Brevianthaceae: A Monotypic Family Endemic to Tasmania

Abstract

The monotypic family Brevianthaceae, with Brevianthus flavus (Grolle) Engel & Schust., possesses a combination of distinctive features that taxonomically isolate it. Among these are: androecia and gynoecia restricted to highly abbreviated lateral-intercalary branches lacking normal leaves; under- leaves, or their vestiges, completely lacking; scattered rhizoids; undivided, suc- cubously inserted leaves; strictly lateral-intercalary branching; capsule globose, with a 3-4 stratose wall; undifferentiated seta; and tuberculate to bacculate spores. The nearest ally of Brevianthaceae is Chonecoleaceae, the two constituting a sep- arate new suborder, the Brevianthineae Engel & Schust. The suborder appears to have a Gondwanalandic origin; Brevianthus is endemic to Tasmania. There are 13 monotypic families of Hepaticae distributed as follows. Four families are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere-Gyrothyraceae (Pacific North America); Phyco- lepidoziaceae (Dominica); Wiesnerellaceae (Japan to Java); and Monosoleniaceae (India, China, Taiwan, Japan). Six families are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere-Vetafor- maceae (southern South America); Verdoorniaceae (New Zealand); Jubulopsidaceae (sub- antarctic islands of New Zealand); Goebeliellaceae (New Zealand and New Caledonia); Carrpaceae (Australia and South Africa); and Perssoniellaceae (New Caledonia). Three families occur in both hemispheres-Chaetocoleaceae (Andes of Ecuador and Peru); Ma- kinoaceae (Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines); and Lunulariaceae (widespread but prob- ably Laurasian in origin). An additional monotypic family has recently been added- Brevianthaceae Engel and Schuster (1981); the family is endemic to Tasmania. The species had gone undescribed until Grolle (1970) published the name Jackiella flava for a Weymouth collection. Ratkowsky (1981), however, has pointed out that the plant was in fact known earlier under the misapplied name Symphyomitra concinna (Mitt.) Steph. Rodway (1916), for example, used that name in his treatment of Tasmanian hepat- ics. The real affinities of Jackiella flava, however, are not with that genus, but rather lie elsewhere, as will be shown below.

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