A Checklist of the Mosses of Israel

Abstract

The checklist comprises 232 taxa of mosses, of which 45 are new reports from Israel. One new species, Phascum galilaeum Herrnstadt & Heyn, and two new varieties, Phascum cuspi- datum Hedw. var. arcuatum Herrnstadt & Heyn and var. marginatum Herrnstadt & Heyn, are described. One new combination, Pottia affinis (Hook. & Tayl.) Herrnstadt & Heyn, and one new name, Barbula imbricata Herrnstadt & Heyn, are presented. The nomenclature of previously re- corded species is revised. Published distribution records are updated and new ones are added based on extensive new collections (based on squares of 10 x 10 km). The checklist is a preliminary stage of the publication of a bryophyte flora of Israel. Studies, with the purpose of gaining an overall knowledge of the moss flora of Israel, were started by F. Bilewsky and S. Nachmony after 1950 (Bi- lewsky 1959; Bilewsky & Nachmony 1955; Nach- mony 196 1). The results of their research were later summarized in a Moss of Israel (Bilewsky 1965) and some additional data were later added by Bilewsky (1970, 1974, 1977). Further details on the history of bryological research by local botanists are included in Herrnstadt and Heyn (1987). The checklist presented here is a continuation of the studies mentioned above. It was carried out dur- ing the last ten years towards the preparation of a comprehensive flora of the bryophytes of Israel (He- paticae by S. Jovet-Ast and H. Bischler) in the frame of the Flora Palaestina project of the Israel Acad- emy of Sciences and Humanities. Though the re- search was started by the study of the material as- sembled by Bilewsky and Nachmony, new collections have been made, material in a large number of herbaria has been checked, experts have been consulted, and new literature has been applied. As a result many taxonomic concepts and distri- bution data have widely changed and new taxa have been added.