Distribution and speciation of bryophytes in Japan

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As the basic data of this research, all moss species recorded from Japan were listed. This list is comprised of 1180 species belonging to 321 genera. Moss flora of Japan is remarkably rich as it contains almost the same number of species with that of whole North America.The affinities of the Japanese moss flora with those of eastern North America and western North America were investigated. The list of moss species of the eastern North American element in the Japanese moss flora is revised to 33 species and a list of 11pairs of vicarious taxa of mosses in these two regions is provided. Possible speciations of these species were discussed.Structure and movement of peristome filaments of many Japanese species of the genus Fissidens were studied. All species of the subgenera Aneruron and Fissidens examined show hygroscopical movement of peristome filamtnes. The filaments are spirally thickened and not nodose. On the contrary, all species of the subgenera Serridium and Pachyfissidens have nodose peristome filaments and do not show hygroscopic movement. Differentiation of peristome teeth is important for the classification of subgenera of Fissidens.Various types of vegetative diaspores of Japanese mosses were examined. They are classified into two groups, propagules and gemmae. Vegetative diaspores are important for distribution of mosses. Speciation of mosses based on vegetative diaspores was discussed.