They are mosses that are part of the bryophyte group, that is, they do not have conductive vessels through which to distribute the sap.
The three new plants discovered are mosses that are part of the bryophyte group, that is, they do not have conductive vessels through which to distribute the sap throughout the plant and they do not have flowers, fruits, or authentic roots. «They are characterized by having specific stems called caulidiums and leaves with a very simple structure or filidiums. They tend to colonize humid and shady places”, said Juan Guerra, principal investigator of the Biology, Ecology and Evolution of Bryophytes and Spermatophytes research group, of the Department of Plant Biology of the UMU Faculty of Biology.
The first of these is Fissidens eremicus, and in it a new reproductive system of this family of mosses has been described for the first time, specifically it has separate male and female structures, unlike the rest, where they are located in the same unit. This species is found in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and North Africa. It has been published in the Journal of Bryology, a botanical magazine published in Oxford since 1972 that collects illustrations and descriptions of vegetables.
The second species, also published in the Journal Of Bryology, is an Andean plant that proliferates in locations in northern Chile. The Andes is an area that the researchers of this group know well, since they have been exploring this territory for more than 25 years. Its name is Syntrichia splendida, and they have also described how it reproduces through the creation of propagules, or structures, that grow on the upper end or tip of the leaf.
The last one is Schistidium memnonium, a moss that grows on exposed limestone rocks in places with arboreal vegetation. Interestingly, it is found in the southern and central areas of Spain, but also in a German locality, “it is probably a relict of a migratory process during a glacial period,” explained Professor of Botany Juan Guerra. This discovery has been published in Plant Biosystems, a botanical publication published by the Società Botanica Italiana.
In botanical matter not everything is written. There are still species waiting to be studied, which is why, from time to time, a compilation of new plants discovered by professionals in this branch of biology is published by the Spanish Botanical Society (Sebot). This organization brings together the main Spanish scientific societies in pursuit of the dissemination of plant biodiversity and their importance for human well-being.
Making these scientific discoveries public serves to highlight the impact that the plant world has on our society: “the flora of a territory, the usefulness of native plant species, the economic use of wild plants, the medicinal uses of many plants , their importance in ecosystems as primary producers and the cultural asset that knowledge of the living species that accompany us in our environment supposes, are priority issues.” affirmed Guerra, who added that “the description of species unknown to science, never described, is a relevant aspect to broaden the knowledge of all the previous aspects.”
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