Survey of mosses (Bryophyta) along visitor trails in the Parque Nacional de Caparaó, Espírito Santo State, Brazil

Abstract

Bryophyta, the mosses, are an abundant plant group in humid environments. In the Atlantic Coastal Forest of Southeastern Brazil, they are found in great richness and diversity, especially in the montane regions. In this context, the Parque Nacional do Caparaó, where our study was conducted, is known for its mountain environment and high altitude. Although a considerable number of moss collections from the western part of the park is already deposited in herbaria, the eastern side belonging to the state of Espírito Santo State had been undersampled until now. For this pioneering work, we covered the park’s main visitation trails during three intensive days of collections. We found 59 species of mosses, belonging to 38 genera and 22 families. Nine species are new occurrences for the state and 14 are Brazilian endemics. Most species were found growing on soil. We found more species at altitudes above 1,500 m a.s.l. Sematophyllaceae was the richest moss family