Taxonomic treatment of the family Polytrichaceae Schwägr. in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka harbors a rich diversity of mosses (Phylum Bryophyta) with 561 species, 185 genera and 55 families. According to the checklist of mosses of Sri Lanka by O'Shea (2002), Polytrichaceae Schwägr. represents one of the most species-rich families comprising of two genera (Atrichum and Pogonatum) with 12 species. Available details on species and genera of the family are limited to mere literature based lists; no taxonomic keys, descriptions or monographs for therecorded species are available. The present study was carried out to investigate the species diversity and prepare a taxonomic treatment of the Family Polytrichaceae in Sri Lanka. Polytrichaceae is unique among other moss families by the formation of an epiphragm from the columella, presence of photosynthetic lamellae on upper leaf surface and multicellular peristome appearing single with 32 to 64 teeth. Specimens were collected from all possible geographic localities including; NuwaraEliya,