Brachythecium austroglareosum Kindb.

Brachythecium austroglareosum (Müll.Hal.) Kindb.

SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — Antarctica. West Antarctic Peninsula, Graham Coast, on a unique vegetated point on the western coast of Lahille Island at the north-eastern entrance of Leroux Bay west of Barison Peninsula, 65°33’12.89”S, 64°23’42.14”W, on ground in the bryophyte carpet and mat subformation, 7.II.2020, Parnikoza 6/20 (KRAM [B-258878]).

Brachythecium austroglareosum was found on soil in a stand of the community dominated by bryophytes, including Polytrichum juniperinum and Pohlia drummondii, in which both native vascular plants, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, also had a considerable share. This community covered moist rocks and rock ledges which are typical habitats for it in the Antarctic.

Brachythecium austroglareosum is relatively rare species in the Antarctic, occurring mainly on the west side of Antarctic Peninsula, although once it was recorded from the Foyn Coast on the east side of Antarctic Peninsula just on the Antarctic Circle (Ochyra et al. 2008a). Surprisingly, the species is exceedingly rare in the peri-Antarctic archipelagoes of the South Orkney Islands, where it was only once collected on Signy Island, and the South Shetland Islands, where it was once found on Livingston Island and on two locations on the volcanic Deception Island. It appears to have maximum occurrence at higher latitudes on the Danco and Graham Coasts, where it is scattered both on the mainland Antarctic Peninsula and its offshore islands, decreasing in frequency towards the south (Fig. 14). On the Graham Coast B. austroglareosum is known mainly to occur in the offshore islands in Lemaire Channel (Booth Island), Penola Strait (Uruguay Island and Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands) and at the south-western entrance of Grandidier Channel (Hook Island). On the mainland it was only once recorded on Cape Pérez. As is the case with many species, B. austroglareosum occurs disjunctively in the northern Marguerite Bay on the Fallières Coast where it was collected on three islands, reaching its southernmost location on Jenny Island off Cape Alexandra on Adelaide Island at latitude 67°44’S.