Liverwort Diversity in Cambodia: New Records Show There Is Still Much to Learn

Abstract

In Southeast Asia, Cambodia is one of the least studied countries in terms of liverwort diversity. A partial study of about 500 specimens gathered from 2009 to 2013 yielded 66 species new to the country, which raised the number of known species in Cambodia to 210, a number still far below expectations. Twenty genera are new to the country, including Dumortiera, Jackiella, and Lepidozia that are very common and characteristic elements of the mesophytic tropical flora in Asia. The distribution within the country of already known species is supplemented with new data. Two new combinations are proposed: Plectocolea polyrhizoides (Grolle) Bakalin et S.S. Choi comb. nov. and Plectocolea longifolia (Schiffn.) Bakalin et S.S. Choi comb. nov.

Keywords

• liverworts
• Hepaticae
• Southeast Asia
• taxonomic diversity
• Indochina
• cryptogamic plants