Journal of Bryology (2002) 24: 163-171 Bryological Notes Vittia salina L.Hedenas & J.Mufioz, sp. nov., a new moss from Argentina During fieldwork in the mountains around Tinogasta in Catamarca, Argentina, the second author collected, in two rivulets with salt water, a moss that was tentatively identi- fied as Hygroamblystegium. The specimens were later sent to the first author for identification. The material turned out to belong to the genus Vittia and is superficially simi- lar to V. pachyloma (Mont.) Ochyra, a widespread species that occurs in the Andes, south-eastern Brazil, southern- most South America, South Georgia Islands, Falkland Islands, Juan Fernandez Islands, South Africa, and Kerguelen. However, it differs from the latter species in several details that cannot be due to phenotypic modifica- tions. We therefore describe the new species Vittia salina for this aquatic moss. Van der Wijk, Margadant & Florschutz (1964) and Ochyra (1987a) misunderstood Muller (1889) when suggesting that Hypnum sect. Limbella MUll. Hal., the basis for Limbella (MUll. Hal.) MUll. Hal., is invalid (cf. Buck, 1998). Despite this misinterpretation, Ochyra's (1987a) typification of Limbella is correct and the name Vittia must be used for the genus to which the species described here belongs. Vittia salina L.Hedenas & J.Munoz sp. nov. Diagnosis: Vittiae pachylomae (Mont.) Ochyra affinis, sed costa tenuiore, (4-)5-6-stratosa, limbidio distali 1-2-stra- toso, proximali 2-3(--4)-stratoso, cellulis laminae longiori- bus, et pseudoparaphylliis extimis anguste triangularibus. Etymology: The species is named salina after the salt water in the rivulets where it was found. Holotype: Argentina: Catamarca, Tinogasta, Las Lozas, 27°14'S, 68°06'W, 3700m a.s.l., rocks and sandy banks of salt water rivulet in acidic area, 12 February 1999, B. Biasuso, R. Farias & J. Munoz 99-60, MA-Musci (nO 14873); isotypes: BA, BM, H, JE, MO, NY, S. Sexual condition unknown. Plants medium-sized, dark green. Stems elongate, irregularly or somewhat irregularly pinnately branched; central strand present, narrow, cortex of 2(-3) layers of small and incrassate cells; pseudo para- phyllia foliose, outer ones narrowly triangular, inner ones triangular or irregular in outline; paraphyllia absent; rhizoids inserted below leaf costa insertion, red-brown, slightly branched, smooth; axillary hairs 2-4 per axil, iD British Bryological Society 2002 DOl: 10.1179/037366802125001079 strictly axillary, with I upper cell, 8.5-13.5 j1m wide, pale brownish, basal 1-2 cells quadrate or shortly rectangular, brownish. Stem leaves erect to erect-spreading, straight or slightly falcate, slightly twisted when dry, ovate, gradually acuminate, 1.0-2.1 mm long, 0.5-1.0 mm wide, concave; costa single, strong, sometimes slightly curved, percurrent or shortly excurrent, smooth, 73.5-147.0 j1m wide near base, in transverse section plano-convex or almost so, (4-)5-6-stratose and consisting of homogeneous cells, central cells slightly wider than epidermal ones; margin plane, entire throughout or sometimes very finely denticu- late near apex, border present, above 5-7(-8) cells wide, of elongate-rectangular to linear cells, entirely or partly 2- stratose, otherwise unistratose, border near insertion broader, 10-15 cells wide, entirely 2-stratose or in portions 3(-4)-stratose; median laminal cells 19.0-71.5 x 6.5- 11.0 j1m, elongate-rectangular, elongate-rhomboidal, or shortly linear, unistratose, slightly incrassate, eporose, smooth; basal cells wider than median laminal cells, slightly incrassate, eporose; alar cells hardly differentiated, but basal limbidial cells along margin not inflated, rectan- gular or sometimes quadrate, not decurrent. Branch leaves smaller than stem leaves, proximal branch leaves triangu- lar or broadly so, acute or shortly acuminate. (Sexual branches and sporophytes unknown). Vittia salina differs from V. pachyloma in having consid- erably weaker costa and limbidium, longer median laminal cells, and narrowly triangular outer pseudoparaphyllia (cf. Fig. 1 and illustrations of Vittia pachyloma in Ochyra, 1987b). Moreover, Vittia pachyloma has 1-2-celled upper portions of the axillary hairs, and the leaf lamina is some- times partly to entirely 2-4-stratose, whereas V. salina has one-celled upper portions of the axillary hairs and a unistratose lamina. The new species is also similar to the endemic Haitian Limbella bartlettii (H.A.Crum & Steere) W.R.Buck, but the latter species has broad and irregular pseudoparaphyliia, 1-3-celled upper portions of the axil- lary hairs, a more consistently 2(-3)-stratose limbidium, a slightly thicker, 5-7-stratose, costa, and longer median laminal cells (47.5-140.5j1m long, vs 19.0-71.5j1m in V. salina). Limbella bartlettii should also be placed in Vittia, and the new combination will be made elsewhere (Hedenas & Munoz in Hedenas, in press). Finally, the endemic Received 9 April 2001. Revision accepted 25 June 2001