First report of Dicranum fulvum and Leucobryum juniperoideum in northern Iran

Dicranum fulvum and Leucobryum juniperoideum are new records from Iran, both discovered in a mixed Caspian beech (Fagus caspica) and Common yew (Taxus baccata) stand at the Gazu site in the central Hyrcanian forests of Savadkuh County (Mazandaran Province, northern Iran). Dicranum fulvum is a corticolous moss distinguished by its narrow, fragile leaves that become curly and flexuose when dry, and falcate-secund when moist, with a setaceous acumen and bistratose upper lamina cells. Leucobryum juniperoideum, an epixylous, found on dead wood, is characterized by its greenish-white, distinctive costa and the presence of hyalocysts (leucocysts) and chlorocysts. This is the first report of Leucobryaceae from Iran. Morphological descriptions, along with diagnostic features, photographs, ecological notes, and distributional data, are provided for both species. These findings contribute significantly to understanding moss diversity in the Hyrcanian region and the Iranian moss flora, for which the authors recommend targeted surveys in adjacent Hyrcanian habitats and the inclusion of this species in regional floristic checklists to clarify its distribution and conservation status.

کلیدواژه ها:

Corticolous ، Dicranum ، epixylous ، Hyrcanian forests ، Iranian moss flora ، Leucobryum