NEW RECORD OF RICCIA PSEUDO-FROSTII (RICCIACEAE) FOR THE BRYOFLORA OF IRAN

Morphological and anatomical studies indicate interspecific differences with the existing samples which demonstrate a new record in Iran. Riccia pseudo-frostii was seen on the western parts of Mazandaran in the North of Iran. This species was distributed often on the wet soils understory of gardens containing high calcium and magnesium which formed community with Marchantia polymorpha and Funaria sp. Thallus is averagely dichotomously two or three times divided and has apical notch with rosette and regular discoidal shape. The young thallus base is tinged purple and is monoecious with less antheridium frequency in comparison with archegonium and is hairless. In many of samples there are not scales on the ventral surface. Tetragonal spores with average diameter 70 μm are regularly reticulated surface and the length of wings reach to 4 μm. The average diameter of pores, lumens and odontos were determined 5 μm, 5–7 μm, and 2 μm, respectively. There are two types of smooth and tuberculate rhizoids in the species.