Telopea Volume 22: 99-134 The Royal Publication date: 20 September 2019 Botanic Gardens Journal of Plant Systematics dx.doi.org/10.7751 /telopeal 3056 & Domain Trust plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Telopea • escholarship.usyd.edu.au/journals/index.php/TEL • ISSN 0312-9764 (Print) • ISSN 2200-4025 (Online) Revised keys and additions to the Australian Bryaceae (Bryopsida) John R. Spence^'^and Helen P. Ramsay^ ^California Academy of Sciences, Department of Botany, 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118-4503, USA. ^National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, NSW2000, Australia. ^Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Revised keys to the Bryaceae for the Flora of Australia and its offshore islands are presented, including new keys to genera and to species within each genus following recent molecular studies on the family. Fifty-nine named species and two undetermined taxa are included in the treatments. The first record of Leptostomopsis pulchra (Hook.) Ochyra & Bedn.-Ochyra is reported from near Melbourne, Victoria as a new genus and species for Australia. Explanatory notes for each species are included, and comparisons made with the closely similar Bryaceae of New Zealand where relevant. Introduction The family Bryaceae was revised for the Bryophyte Flora of Australia by Spence and Ramsay (2006) and later updated in Australian Mosses Online (Spence and Ramsay 2012). Numerous changes in the taxonomy of the family have been published based on both morphological and molecular studies (Pedersen et al. 2007; Holyoak and Pedersen 2007; Spence 2005,2007,2009,2014; Spence and Ramsay 2005; Wang and Zhao 2009). Although results from morphological and genetic studies are not entirely consistent, particularly within terminal clades, they do agree in several important ways. There is a deep split in the family into two major sister clades, one exemplified by Ptychostomum Hornsch. and related genera including Rhodobryum (Schimp.) Limpr. and Rosulabryum J.R.Spence, while the second clade is resolved with Anomobryum Schimp. Bryum Hedw, Gemmabryum J.R.Spence & H.P.Ramsay and Imbribryum N.Pedersen. Although sporophytes are often essential for identification, leaf areolation and types of asexual gemmae can often place the specimen in the appropriate genus (Spence and Ramsay 2012). For example the two clades mentioned above differ in details of their specialized asexual gemmae as well as leaf characters. The most recent treatment dealing with changes in taxonomic concepts is discussed in Spence (2014). © 2019 Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust 100 Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 Spence and Ramsay Fig. 1. Various Bryaceae. A: Rosulabryum subfasciculatum, dry (David Meagher). B: Gemmabryum pachytheca (David Tng) C; Rosulabryum torquescens (Ron Oldfield). D: Bryum argenteum (David Tng). E: Gemmabryum dichotomum (David Tng). F; Rosulabryum alboUmbatum (David Meagher). G: Gemmabryum coronatum (David Meagher). Photos used with permission. Revised Keys and Additions to the Australian Bryaceae (Bryopsida) Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 101 In addition to these taxonomic changes, new species that have come to light in Australia based on field and herbarium studies include three new species records for the family (Spence and Ramsay 2013). More recent discoveries include the first record of the genus Leptostomopsis (Mull. Hal. ex Broth.) J.R.Spence & H.RRamsay for Australia. In the light of these taxonomic changes and additions, we present newly revised keys to the genera and species of the Bryaceae for Australia and its offshore islands. The keys include two distinct but unnamed collections: one in Gemmabryum J.R.Spence &: H.RRamsay and one in Plagiobryoides J.R.Spence. Included in the keys are two New Zealand species that may be found with additional field work in Tasmania and southeastern Australia. Where relevant, comparisons are made with the recent treatment of the Bryaceae of New Zealand (Fife 2015). Notes on each species, including changes in status and distribution, are included. The following 11 genera are presently accepted - Anomobryum Schimp., Brachymenium Schwagr., Bryum Hedw, Gemmabryum J.R.Spence & H.RRamsay, Imbribryum N.Redersen, Leptostomopsis (Miill. Hal. ex Broth.) J.R.Spence &:H.R.Ramsay, Ochiobryum J.R.Spence & H.RRamsay, Plagiobryoides J.R.Spence, Ptychostomum Hornsch., Rhodobryum (Schimp.) Limpr., and Rosulabryum J.R.Spence. Figure 1 shows colour photographs of selected species. New Record An Australian herbarium specimen distinguished by its small size, densely compact cushions, silver-green colouration, extremely long spinose awn and numerous small leafy bulbils in the upper leaf axils is here attributed to Leptostomopsis pulchra (Hook.) Ochyra & Bedn.-Ochra, which is the first report of the genus for Australia. The specimen, although sterile, agrees well with named African material of L. pulchra that we have examined. Specimen examined: Australia, Victoria: Cape Schank, Mornington Reninsula, woody debris on light sandy soil under Leptospermum laevigatum and Melaleuca pubescens, 16 Feb 1952, JH Willis 19IW (MEL 1031404). Key to the Genera of the Bryaceae in Australia Useful illustrations and photographs of species and especially gemmae can be found in Malcolm and Malcolm (2000), Rreussel et al (2007), Hallingback et al. (2008), and Porley (2008). Additional images for many species can also be found online. 1. Stems short, mostly <10 mm, slender, evenly foliate, often julaceous; plants green, yellow-green to silver- white; leaves typically <1.0 mm, imbricate; proximal laminal cells quadrate to short-rectangular, distal cells longer, transition often abrupt; dioicous.2 1: Stems short to long, rarely julaceous (if so then plants large and either green or with brown to red tints), comose, tufted to evenly foliate; plants green, yellow-green, red, pink-silver; leaves (0.5-) 1.0-10.0 mm, imbricate to contorted or shrunken; proximal laminal cells variously quadrate, short to long-rectangular, transition abrupt or not, distal cells short or long; dioicous, synoicous or autoicous.4 2. Plants in dense cushions; leaves silver-green, with long, spinose, hyaline awn, length 0.5-1 x leaf length; distal laminal cells rhomboidal, 3-4:1; capsule long-cylindrical, erect; peristome reduced, cilia absent (1 species from near Melbourne, VIC).6. Leptostomopsis 2: Plants in turfs or loose cushions, green to silver or white; apiculus or awn sometimes present, hyaline, but not long-spinose, typically <0.3x leaf length, or absent; distal laminal cells short to long, rhomboidal to hexagonal or vermicular; capsules ovate to cylindrical, nodding, peristome well developed.3 3. Distal and medial laminal cells elongate-vermicular, incrassate, (6-)8-10:l, plants pale yellow-green (1 species from QLD).Anomobryum 3: Distal and medial laminal cells shorter, hexagonal to rhomboidal, 2-4(-6): 1, mostly thin walled, plants silver, white or green (widespread, 3 species).3. Bryum 4. Stems rosulate (leaves flared in rosette when wet) or rarely evenly foliate, with ovate, obovate to spathulate leaves, distal leaf margins distinctly serrate; limbidium (border) usually present.5 4: Stems comose (leaves loosely tufted but never flaring when wet) to gemmiform (leaves erect when wet, bud-like), bulbiform or evenly foliate, never distinctly rosulate; leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate to triangular; distal leaf margins smooth to serrulate; limbidium present or absent.7 5. Capsules erect, peristome reduced, basal membrane short usually less than half the height of the exostome, cilia usually absent, plants epiphytic to corticolous on rainforest trees (2 species, one in QLD and a possibly incorrect record from TAS).2. Brachymenium 102 Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 Spence and Ramsay 5: Capsules patent to nodding; peristome generally well developed, basal membrane at least I/2 height of exostome, cilia present; plants mostly saxicolous or terricolous.6 6. Stems evenly foliate; stolons present; leaves large, often >5 mm, costal stereid band reduced, gemmae lacking (1 species from E Australia).10. Rhodobryum 6: Stems rosulate or rarely evenly foliate; stolons absent; leaves typically <5 mm; costal stereid band well developed; rhizoidal tubers and leaf axil filiform gemmae often present (widespread, 15 species) .11. Rosulabryum (in part) 7. Laminal cells elongate, uniform throughout leaf except at base and alar region, many cells >80 to 120 pm.8 7: Laminal cells various, rhomboidal to hexagonal or rectangular, mostly < 60(-80) pm long, areolation often heterogeneous, with distal and proximal cells of different lengths and shapes.10 8. Laminal cells thin-walled, 20-30 pm wide, irregularly rhomboidal distally; leaf apex obtuse (2 species from subtropical and tropical regions).8. Plagiobryaides (in part) 8: Laminal cells narrow, mostly <15 pm wide, regularly hexagonal distally; leaf apex obtuse, broadly acute to acuminate .9 9. Plants often complanate, laminal cells strongly incrassate, distinct limbidium present; alar cells not differentiated; leaf apex obtuse to broadly acute; rhizoidal tubers absent (1 species from cold-climate/montane regions) .7. Ochiobryum 9: Plants evenly foliate but never complanate; laminal cells mostly thin-walled, limbidium absent or weak; alar cells often differentiated as small quadrate group; leaf apex acute to acuminate; rhizoidal tubers present (widespread, 23 species) .4. Gemmabryum (in part) 10. Distal laminal cells elongate, (3-)4-6:l, often incrassate, longer than the quadrate or short-rectangular proximal cells; stems gemmiform (short and bud-like) or elongate and evenly foliate; leaves imbricate, not strongly contorted or twisted when dry; limbidium absent or rarely present; rhizoidal tubers and leaf axil bulbils often present; capsule erect to nodding .11 10: Distal laminal cells mostly 2-4:1, the same length or shorter than the rectangular to long-rectangular proximal cells; stems comose to evenly foliate; leaves generally twisted to strongly contorted when dry; limbidium usually present, often strong; rhizoidal tubers and leaf axil filiform gemmae sometimes present, bulbils absent; capsules mostly nodding.12 11. Plants small, stems mostly <1 cm, gemmiform to evenly foliate; leaves 0.5-2.5 mm, not stiff or rigid; leaf axil bulbils often present, tubers if present on long rhizioids in substratum or at base of stem, often abundant; capsules ovate to pyriform, apophysis sometimes thickened and rugose; plants of soil or rock, sometimes seasonally wet (widespread; 23 species) .4. Gemmabryum (in part) 11: Plants medium-sized or large, stems l-5(-10) cm, rarely comose to more often evenly foliate; leaves 2.0-3.5 mm, often stiff and rigid; tubers if present on micronemata or macronemata on stem, usually arising out of leaf axils, scarce, sometimes absent; capsules pyriform to clavate, apophysis slender; plants of waterfalls, springs, wet rocks and soil (widespread, 5 species) .5. Imbribryum 12. Leaves ovate to obovate, distal margins mostly serrulate or rarely nearly smooth; filiform leaf axil gemmae sometimes present, rhizoidal tubers usually present, dioicous (widespread, 15 species) .11. Rosulabryum (in part) 12: Leaves ovate-lanceolate to ovate; distal leaf margins predominantly smooth or rarely serrulate; rhizoidal tubers absent, leaf axil filiform gemmae rarely present; dioicous or monoicous.13 13. Plants evenly foliate; leaves ovate, costa percurrent to excurrent in short awn; distal laminal cells very short and wide, often nearly quadrate to 2:1, proximal cells longer, irregularly rhomboidal to rectangular; capsule short, ovate, with widely flaring mouth; spores >30 pm; peristome somewhat reduced (cilia short or absent); dioicous (2 species from tropical-subtropical regions) .8. Plagiobryaides (in part) 13: Plants comose, tufted to evenly foliate; leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, costa excurrent in short to long awn; distal laminal cells mostly rhomboidal, 3-4:1, proximal cells the same length or often longer, more regularly rectangular; capsule pyriform to cylindrical; spores <30 pm; peristome well developed to variously reduced; autoicous, synoicous, or dioicous (widespread, 7 species) .9. Ptychostomum Revised Keys and Additions to the Australian Bryaceae (Bryopsida) Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 103 D Fig. 2. A-B: Anomobryum auratum A: habit of sterile plant. B: leaf (W.W. Watts Q532 NSW); C-D; Bryum argenteum. C; habits, one with sporophyte. D: leaf (D. Sullivan s.n. MEL); E-F: Bryum lanatum E: habit with sporophye. F; leaf {LG. Stone 80214b MEL ); G-H: Bryum harriotii G: habit sterile. H: leaf {A.V. Ratkowsky 7.i.l978 HO. Scale bars 1.0 mm habit; 0.5 mm leaves; 100 pm gemmae. 104 Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 Spence and Ramsay B Fig. 3. A-B; Brachymenium nepalense A: habit with sporophyte. B; leaf (LG. Stone 15718 MEL); C-E; Brachymenium lanceolatum C: habit with sporophyte. D; capsule and operculum. E; leaf (redrawn from H. Ochi 1970 fig 1). Scale bars 1.0 mm habit and enlarged capsule apex; 0.5 mm leaves. Revised Keys and Additions to the Australian Bryaceae (Bryopsida) Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 105 Keys and Brief Descriptions of species Each genus is described with keys and brief descriptions to each species. For more detailed data on species and lists with selected specimen citations refer to Spence and Ramsay (2006,2012). 1. Anomobryum Schimp. Plants small, stems <30 mm, julaceous; leaves <1.5 mm, ovate; costa weak, not reaching apex, limbidium lacking, distal laminal cells elongate-vermicular, proximal cells quadrate; asexual gemmae absent; dioicous; capsule cylindrical, inclined to nodding, peristome well developed; spores <15 pm. A. auratum (Mitt.) A.Jaeger (Bryum auratum Mitt.): a small yellowish-green plant that is strongly julaceous, has a weak costa, and rounded leaf apex. Capsules have not been reported from the region. Known only from Queensland; a widespread paleotropical species (Fig. 2 A-B). 2. Brachymenium Schwagr. Plants small to medium sized, stems 10-30 mm, ± rosulate; leaves to 3.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate to obovate; costa strong, excurrent in short to long awn, limbidium present, distal laminal cells rhomboidal, proximal cells rectangular; asexual gemmae absent; autoicous; capsule ovate to orbicular, erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent, endostome often fused to exostome, spores >25 pm. A tropical-subtropical epiphytic genus related to Rosulabryum with two species having tropical affinities with the type section of Brachymenium. Five species traditionally included in the genus, B. acuminatum, B. coarctatum, B. exile, B. indicum, B. priessianum, have been transferred to Gemmabryum (Spence and Ramsay 2005). Key to Brachymenium species 1. Feaves obovate, often spirally twisted around stem when dry, red-green; tropical QFD .Brachymenium nepalense 1: Feaves oblong-lanceolate, irregularly contorted when dry, yellow-brown; TAS only .Brachymenium lanceolatum Brachymenium lanceolatum Hook.f & Wilson: this species is only known from the type collection in northeast Tasmania and has not been found since. Spence and Ramsay (2006) discuss the possibility that it is a mislabeled specimen originally collected in India, where the species is common (Fig. 3 C-E). Brachymenium nepalense Hook, in Schwagr.: a rare tropical epiphyte which is paleotropical in distribution, found generally at high elevations in Queensland. The gametophyte is very similar to Rosulabyum species, especially R. capillare and R. torquescens, but these species are never epiphytic on rain forest trees (Fig. 3 A-B). 3. Bryum Hedw. Plants small, stems 10-20 mm, gemmiform to julaceous; leaves <1.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate; costa variable not reaching apex to excurrent in awn, apiculus sometimes present, limbidium absent, distal laminal cells rhomboidal to hexagonal, proximal cells quadrate; asexual gemmae of leafy bulbils in leaf axils; dioicous; capsule ovate, nodding, peristome well-developed, spores <25 pm. These species were previously included in Anomobryum (Spence and Ramsay 2002) but have been returned to Bryum (Spence and Ramsay 2005). Key to Bryum species 1. Plants bright green, distal laminal cells short and wide, 2-3:1, many cells >20 pm wide; apiculus lacking, costa not reaching apex.Bryum harriottii 1: Plants silver-green to whitish-green; distal laminal cells, narrow, 3-4:1, mostly <18 pm wide; costa variable, short, with apiculus often present, to excurrent in awn.2 2. Feaf apex broadly acute, apiculus present or sometimes absent, costa not reaching apex; plants silver- green, strongly julaceous; leaf axil bulbils common.Bryum argenteum 2: Feaf apex acute to acuminate, costa strong excurrent into distinct awn, often twisted when dry; plants whitish, weakly julaceous; leaf axil bulbils absent.Bryum lanatum 106 Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 Spence and Ramsay Bryum argenteum Hedw. (Synonyms: Anomobryum argenteum (Hedw.) J.R.Spence & H.P.Ramsay; B. subrotundifolium A.Jaeger; Anomobryum subrotundifolium (AJaeger) J.R.Spence & H.RRamsay): a widespread silver-green species found in virtually all habitats away from the tropics, also abundant in cities. Bulbils are fairly common in sterile material. Some material lacks the apiculus and has been traditionally referred to B. argenteum var. muticum Brid. Australian material is genetically distinct from Antarctic collections, which often differ in being yellow-green, and has been referred to B. subrotundifolium in the past. Hills et al. (2010) show that Australian material of the two varieties are often genetically related. The name B. subrotundifolium has also been applied to the muticous Australian material, but Hills et al (2010) recovered that species nested within B. argenteum and it is similar to B. a. var. muticum, so the species is not recognized here (Fig. 2 C-D). B. harriottii R.Br. bis {^Anomobryum harriottii (R.Br. bis) J.R.Spence & H.RRamsay): a small bright green julaceous species with short rhomboidal distal laminal cells and obtuse leaf apices, found on damp soil in montane areas of New Zealand and Tasmania. It occurs on subantarctic Macquarie Island (Seppelt 2004) and should be looked for in montane areas of southeast Australia (Fig. 2 G-H). Bryum lanatum (P.Beauv.) Brid. {=Anomobryum lanatum (P.Beauv.) J.R.Spence & H.P.Ramsay): a hoary white species with costa strong, excurrent into a recurved awn, usually found in drier habitats than B. argenteum, primarily distributed in Australia but found throughout much of the drier regions of the world. The type of B. lanatum from Europe may simply be a dry-site form of B. argenteum and growth studies suggests that the strong excurrent costa is lost in greenhouse populations (Longton 1981). However, the species in the Australasian region seems quite distinct so it has been retained until molecular studies are done (see also Spence 2014) (Fig. 2 E-F). 4. Gemmabryum J.R.Spence & H.P.Ramsay: Plants small, stems 10-30 mm, gemmiform to evenly foliate; leaves <2.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate; costa percurrent to excurrent in short to long awn, limbidium absent or weak, distal laminal cells elongate rhomboidal to hexagonal, proximal cells quadrate to short-rectangular; asexual gemmae include leafy bulbils in leaf axils, stem tubers and rhizoidal tubers at stem base or in substrate on sterile material; dioicous; capsule ovate, often with inflated neck, to pyriform, nodding, peristome well-developed, spores <25 pm. The first five species included in Gemmabryum in Spence and Ramsay (2006) keys have been moved to the more recently described Imbribryum (Spence and Ramsay 2013). These are G. australe, G. cheelii, G. clavatum, G. crassum and G. laevigatum. Key to Gemmabryum species 1. Laminal areolation homogeneous, similarly shaped elongate hexagonal to rectangular cells throughout leaf except at leaf base near insertion and in alar region where cells shorter, some median cells >80 pm long.2 1: Laminal areolation heterogeneous, cells in distal 1/3 of leaf distinctly different in shape, length and/or width from proximal cells in lower 1/3 of leaf, longest cells typically <70 pm .6 2. Plants pale green, yellow-white to yellow-green, older leaves sometimes becoming hyaline; rhizoidal tubers absent.3 2: Plants bright green, red-green, pink-green or red, leaves not hyaline with age; rhizoidal tubers present .4 3. Plants yellow-green; capsules tapering to narrow mouth; peristome well developed; primarily southern species.Gemmabryum inaequale 3: Plants green or yellow-white to silver; capsules widest at the mouth; peristome reduced, segments absent or rudimentary, cilia absent; primarily tropical, QLD-WA.Gemmabryum acuminatum 4. Leaves ovate to obovate, green-red, contorted when dry; tubers red-brown, flattened with undulate margins.Gemmabryum tuberosum 4: Leaves broadly lanceolate to narrowly ovate or ovate-lanceolate, imbricate to somewhat contorted when dry, green, pink-green or red; tubers pyriform to spherical, not flattened .5 5. Plants red or red-green; leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, limbidium distinct, costa excurrent in fairly long denticulate red awn; tubers red to orange, pyriform, 40-60 pm long, 1-3 cells across face, leaf axil bulbils not produced; autoicous or dioicous.Gemmabryum erythropilum Revised Keys and Additions to the Australian Bryaceae (Bryopsida) Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 107 5: Plants green to pink-green; leaves narrowly ovate or Ungulate, acute, limbidium absent or very indistinct, costa percurrent or short-excurrent, smooth, brown or green; tubers a mix of spherical and pyriform, red-brown, 40-100 pm long, 2-4 cells across face; leaf axil bulbils with leafy tips sometimes present; dioicous.Gemmabryum apiculatum 6. Specialized asexual gemmae present as leaf axil bulbils or rhizoidal tubers (many species can only be identified if diagnostic asexual gemmae are present and cannot usually be identified without them) .7 6: Specialized asexual gemmae lacking (species that are not known to produce asexual gemmae, or species that rarely produce gemmae and they are not diagnostic for those species) .22 7. Bulbils present in upper stem leaf axils of sterile shoots, rhizoidal tubers rarely present.8 7: Bulbils absent, rhizoidal tubers present, often common .15 8. Plants synoicous; leaves ovate-lanceolate, costa excurrent into a medium to long denticulate awn, bulbils single with leafy tips; capsules erect, peristome reduced; tropical northern Australia .Gemmabryum indicum 8: Plants dioicous; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, costa variable, short to long-excurrent, smooth to denticulate, bulbils single to 4(-5) in leaf axils, generally common in sterile material, primordia well- developed and leafy to short and peg-like or absent; capsules nodding, peristome mostly well developed, rarely capsule erect with reduced peristome (G. exile)-., distributions various but often temperate .9 9. Bulbils green to brown, l(-2) per leaf axil, with leafy primordia.10 9: Bulbils green, brown, red or orange, often 2-5 per axil, primordia present or lacking or with short peg- like projections at the apex.14 10. Leaves ovate, concave, glossy green or yellow-green, costa weak, percurrent to short-excurrent, distal laminal cells long, often 60-70 pm or sometimes longer; wet sites.Gemmabryum sullivanii 10: Leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate or triangular, colours various, usually not glossy, flat to weakly concave, costa percurrent to excurrent in short to long awn, distal laminal cells shorter, typically <60 pm long; seasonally wet to dry sites .11 11. Leaves ovate, often folded lengthwise along costa, margins plane; capsule erect, peristome reduced (cilia lacking, endostome segments short).Gemmabryum exile 11: Leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate to triangular, margins recurved proximally to near tip; capsule nodding, peristome well-developed.12 12. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or triangular, margins strongly recurved to near apex; capsules with distinctly thick and rugose neck; tropical .Gemmabryum coronatum 12: Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, recurved only at base; capsule with smooth neck, somewhat tapered to seta; temperate.13 13. Bulbils (2-)3-5 or more per leaf axil; costa strong, long excurrent in somewhat denticulate awn .Gemmabryum sp (Baw Baw Plateau, A./. Downings.n.) 13: Bulbils l(-2); costa short excurrent in smooth awn. Gemmabryum dichotomum 14. Bulbils lacking apical groove and primordia, smooth; awn typically coloured, yellow, golden-brown to red, smooth .Gemmabryum pachythecum 14: Bulbils with two short peg-like primordia at apex, often irregularly grooved between primordia; awn typically hyaline above, often denticulate .Gemmabryum eremaeum 15. Tuber size variable, but largest tubers present small, <100 (-125) pm in largest dimension.16 15: Tuber size variable, but largest tubers >150 pm in largest dimension, often >250 pm .17 16. Tubers spherical, red, cell walls protuberant, 2-3 across face.Gemmabryum klinggraeffii 16: Tubers pyriform, brown, cell walls not protuberant, 3 or more across face.Gemmabryum sauteri 17. Plants golden-green, costa long-excurrent in golden-yellow awn, laminal cells somewhat incrassate; tubers large, at least some >500 pm, up to 1 mm, cell walls protuberant, tubers arising mostly in leaf axils (axillary) .Gemmabryum chrysoneuron 108 Telopea 22: 99-134, 2019 Spence and Ramsay 17: Plant colour various, awn short to medium-length, coloured but rarely golden-yellow, laminal cells mostly thin walled; tubers smaller, mostly <300(-350) gm, cell walls not protuberant, tubers arising at stem base on long rhizoids in soil.18 18. Leaves ovate, often folded longitudinally along costa when dry, margins plane; tubers brown to red- brown, 100-200 pm .Gemmabryum exile 18: Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, not folded longitudinally when dry, margins recurved proximally; tubers brown, red or golden-yellow, 100-300 pm.19 19. Tubers golden or yellow, 100-200 pm, cells with red walls, rhizoids pale yellow or brown .Gemmabryum tenuisetum 19: Tubers brown or red, 100-300(-350) pm, cell walls same colour as tuber, rhizoids brown or red.20 20. Plants in dense compact turfs, dull green or green-yellow; costa long-excurrent; tubers 100-200 pm, red-brown; synoicous; tropical.Gemmabryum indicum 20: Plants in loose open turfs or gregarious, green to green-red; costa short to long excurrent, tubers 100-300(-350) pm, red or red-brown; dioicous; widespread, often temperate, rarely tropical.21 21. Costa short-excurrent in short slender awn, distal laminal cells mostly short-rectangular mixed with quadrate cells; tubers (100-) 150-300(-350) pm; acidic substrates.Gemmabryum subapiculatum 21: Costa long-excurrent in long awn, distal laminal cells mostly quadrate; tubers 100-200(-250) pm; calcareous substrates.Gemmabryum radiculosum 22. Costa percurrent or excurrent in short awn.23 22: Costa distinctly excurrent in medium to long awn.26 23. Costa mostly percurrent, many distal laminal cells elongate, >60-80 pm long, leaves glossy green or green-yellow; wet sites in riparian zones and at springs or seeps.Gemmabryum sullivanii 23: Costa mostly short-excurrent, distal laminal cells <60 pm long, leaves lacking glossy sheen; dry sites .24 24. Leaves folded lengthwise along costa when dry; capsule erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent .Gemmabryum exile 24: Leaves more or less imbricate, not folded or contorted; capsule nodding or erect, peristome various .25 25. Leaves strongly imbricate, ovate, margins strongly revolute; capsule nodding, peristome well developed; operculum apiculate .Gemmabryum austrosabulosum 25: Leaves loosely imbricate, ovate-lanceolate to triangular, margins plane; capsule erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent; operculum rostellate.Gemmabryum preissianum 26. Leaves ovate, folded lengthwise along costa when dry, margins plane, costa excurrent in long denticulate hyaline awn; capsule erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent.Gemmabryum exile 26: Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, imbricate to contorted when dry but not folded lengthwise along costa, margins recurved proximally, costa excurrent in smooth coloured or sometimes hyaline awn; capsule erect or nodding, peristome various.27 27. Leaves lacking a limbidium, flat or weakly concave, awn green or yellow coloured, rhizoidal tubers and bulbils sometimes present; synoicous; capsule erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent .Gemmabryum indicum 27: Leaves with a narrow limbidium, weakly to strongly concave, awn coloured or hyaline; tubers and bulbils absent; dioicous; capsule nodding or erect, peristome well developed to reduced.28 28. Awn and lamina coloured green or brown, not hyaline, leaves concave, more or less imbricate when dry, group of inflated pinkish subalar cells present on leaves on fertile stems; stem tubers absent; capsule nodding, pyriform, peristome well developed (temperate).Gemmabryum caespiticium 28: Awn and sometimes upper lamina hyaline, leaves weakly concave, somewhat twisted-contorted when dry; inflated subalar cells absent; stem tubers often present; capsule erect, peristome reduced, cilia absent (tropical).Gemmabryum coarctatum