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Published In: Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 32: 193. 1993. (Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci.) Name publication detail
 

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Acceptance : Accepted
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Discussion:

Weisiopsis nigeriana has broad, rounded to obtuse, ligulate leaves that are incurved when dry. Weisiopsis oblonga, Hyophila involuta, Plaubelia sprengelii and Luisierella barbula all have similarly shaped leaves. These species differ from Weisiopsis nigeriana in having leaf cells that are mammillose-bulging on the ventral surface but mostly plane and smooth on the dorsal surface.  Weisiopsis oblonga, Plaubelia sprengelii and Luisierella barbula differ in having peristomes. Hyophila involuta like W. nigeriana has eperistomate capsules, but it is a larger, dioicous plant with two well-developed costal stereid bands, and usually dentate upper leaf margins.

Central American plants of W. nigeriana have weakly bulging exothecial cells unlike the African material illustrated by Zander (1993, Pl. 66 16). This appears to be a variable feature in the species since type material of G. pocsii has exothecial cells more similiar to those found in Central American collections than those illustrated by Zander (1993).

The inclusion of this species in Weisiopsis strains the limits of genus since it leaf cells weakly bulge on both surfaces and it is eperistomate. The presence of this tropical African species in Central America is a interesting disjunct pattern also seen in Diphyscium pocsii (Bizot) Zand. (Allen 1996).
Illustrations: Egunyomi and Olarinmoye (1978, Figs. 1–9); Bizot (1980, Pl. 2 3); Zander (1993, Pl. 66 9–16). Figure 90.
Habitat: On soil, dry bank; 1050 m.
Distribution in Central America: HONDURAS. Comayagua: Yuncker et al. 6652 (MICH, MO, NY). COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: Holm & Iltis 1325 (MO). PANAMA. Veraguas: Mendoza 864 (MO, PMA).
World Range: Central America; South and East Tropical Africa

 

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Weisiopsis nigeriana (Egun. & Olar.) Zand., Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Hist. 32: 193. 1993.

Gyroweisia nigeriana Egun. & Olar., Bryologist 81: 443. 1987. Protologue: Nigeria. Cross River State: Obudu cattle ranch, on rock surface. 18 September, 1975. Egunyomi 379.

Gyroweisia pocsii Bizot, Cryptog. Bryol. Lichénol. 1: 424. 1980. Protologue. Tanzania. Uluguru Mts in Morogoro Region, E slope of Mt. Mindu above Kasanga, 600 m. Pócs 6595/E. Paratype. Tanzania. Mt Nguru Ya Ndege, N.W. of Morogoro, 600 m. Pócs 6704/S (MO). 

Plants small, light-green, 2–3 mm high. Stems erect,  not branched, cortical cells enlarged, thin-walled, sclerodermis and central strand present; rhizoids sparse, red or hyaline, smooth. Leaves 1.0–1.5 mm long, erect at base, tubulose-incurved when dry, spreading when wet, oval-ligulate, concave; apices obtuse; margins unistratose, plane or erect, entire to bulging-crenulate by projecting cell walls, not bordered; costa subpercurrent, surface cells elongate, guide cells and single (dorsal) stereid band present, ventral surface layer enlarged, hyaline; upper cells quadrate, hexagonal to short-rectangular, 6–16 x 6–10 μm, weakly bulging on both surfaces, basal cells enlarged, hyaline, 18–60 x 14–20 μm, rectangular, with thin, bulging walls. Autoicous. Setae 2–3 mm long, yellow. Capsules 1.0–1.2 mm long, ellipsoid to short-cylindric; exothecial cells short-rectangular, thin-walled, bulging, red-brown, red at capsule mouth; stomata in neck; opercula 0.5 mm long, conic-rostrate; annuli persistent at capsule mouth, of 2–3 rows of vesiculose cells; peristome absent. Spores 8–12 μm, lightly roughened. Calyptrae cucullate.

 

 
 
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