CAO, TONG*, SHUILIANG GUO, AND CHIEN GAO. Institute of Applied Ecology, Academia Sinica, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110015, China. - Comparison of bryoflora and geograpical elements between Racomitrium and Grimmia in China.
Based on revisional study, 23 species of Racomitrium and 24 species of
Grimmia have been recognized in China. Analyses of geographical
elements and distribution patterns of the two genera showed: 1) There
are obvious differences of geographic elements between the genera
Racomitrium and Grimmia in China. High proportion of East Asian
elements together with some tropical elements was found in the genus
Racomitrium, while the genus Grimmia was rich in north temperate
elements. 2) For Chinese Racomitrium, it seems that Henduan Mountain
Ranges, southwest China, were not only a center of species diversity
but also one of origin areas of the genus. 3) Grimmia is much more
widely distributed in northwest China, while Racomitrium is somewhat
widely distributed in south China than Grimmia. 4) Some species of
these genera are characterized by their disjunctive distribution in
China.
Key words: Distribution pattern, Geographical elements, Grimmia, Grimmiaceae, Mosses, Racomitrium