Language: English
The present flora thoroughly covers the bryophytes of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra island, with keys to all species, notes on the occurrence of the species in the different countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) and distribution maps.
The flora includes one hornwort, 50 liverworts and 173 mosses. Altogether, 224 species are known from that area. A short overview on the bryofloristic exploration of the Peninsula, the phytochorial elements, and a phytogeographical analysis of the bryoflora are given. Typical of the monsoon-influenced xerotropical southwestern and southern border mountains of the Arabian Peninsula (summer rainfall area) as well as Socotra, are numerous Palaeotropical and Afro-montane taxa indicating the strong floristic relationships between southern Arabia and Africa
In contrast, the arid and semi-arid parts of inner Arabia (winter rainfall area) are dominated by drought-adapted and drought-tolerant taxa of probably xerothermic-Pangaean and circum-Tethyan origin. They show a number of xeromorphic adaptations (xeropottioid and xerothalloid life syndrome) for life under desert conditions. The phytogeographical analysis of the bryoflora, as well as the distribution of thalloid and leafy liverworts, respectively acrocarpous and pleurocarpous mosses, demonstrate that there is a clear phytochorial border across the Peninsula, frequently correlated with climatic conditions (winter rainfall/summer rainfall line).
Abstract 6
1. Introduction 7
2. The Arabian Peninsula: geography, topography and climate 8
3. Bryological exploration 14
4. Bryogeography and floristic elements 16
(Sub) Cosmopolitan element 16
Northern element 16
Xerotherm-Pangaean element 18
Circum-Tethyan element 18
Tropical element (Pantropical, Palaeotropical and Afromontane species) 20
Endemics 24
Phytogeographical analysis 24
5. Systematic treatment 26
Artificial key to the main groups of bryophytes on the
Arabian Peninsula and Socotra 26
Class: Anthocerotopsida (hornworts) 27
Class: Hepaticopsida (liverworts) 28
Artificial key to the Subclass Marchantiidae 28
Artificial key to the Subclass Metzgeriidae 35
Artificial key to the Subclass Jungermanniidae 36
Class: Bryopsida (mosses) 41
Artificial key to the acrocarpous mosses of the
Arabian Peninsula and Socotra 41
Artificial key to the pleurocarpous mosses of the
Arabian Peninsula and Socotra 67
6. Synopsis of species and geographical checklist 75
7. Distribution maps 88
8. Acknowledgements 127
9. References 128
"Desertic areas are thought to be of no great interest for bryologists, but apparently the booklet shows the highly differentiated liverwort and moss flora of a great desertic and semi-desertic area, the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra. In 1980 from the Arabian Peninsula no bryophyte taxa was known. 1 hornwort, 50 liverwort and 178 moss species are now known from the area. This is due to a now twenty years investigation of the bryophyte flora.
The booklet is a bryophyte flora of the area with a short overview on the bryofloristic exploration of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra, a description of the phytochorial dements and a phytogeographical analysis. There are keys to all species, notes on the occurence of the species in the different countries and at the end there are given distribution maps.
The arid and semi-arid parts of the inner Arabia are dominated by drought-adapted taxa of xerothermic-pangean and circum-tethyan origin, in the monsoon-influenced xerotropical areas of SW Saudi Arabia and Yemen as well as Socotra, palaeotropical and afro-montane taxa dominate the bryophyte flora and vegetation. The booklet is a most valuable basis for all further bryophyte research in the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra."
- W. FREY, Berlin, Nova Hedwigia, vol. 71, no 1-2, p. 267