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TAXONOMIC STATUS OF EURHYNCHIUM BRITTONIAE GROUT (BRACHYTHECIACEAE: BRYOPSIDA)
Author(s) -
Giles K. Stacy
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1223383
Subject(s) - typification , bryopsida , moss , confusion , synonym (taxonomy) , genus , nomenclature , geography , taxonomy (biology) , botany , biology , zoology , ecology , psychology , psychoanalysis
Summary Eurhynchium brittoniae Grout is a rare moss endemic to western North America. The reassignment of this and other closely related species of Eurhynchium to the genus Kindbergia is a matter of controversy among bryologists. An investigation of these species has been undertaken to resolve this controversy. This paper resolves two taxonomic problems with respect to E. brittoniae. First, it elucidates an error in the protologue of this species that has been a source of confusion regarding its typification. Second, it reexamines morphological characters that historically have been relied upon to distinguish E. brittoniae from closely related species and evaluates their taxonomic value. The outcome of this paper is a lectotypification of E. brittoniae and the reassignment of this species as a synonym of Kindbergia praelonga (Hedw.) Ochyra.