B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 33. 2002 (Budapest, 2002)

Erzberger, Peter: Funaria muhlenbergii and Funaria pulchella (Funariaceae, Bryophyta) in Hungary

Encalypta vulgaris, Phascum cuspidatum, Manniafragrans, Pleurochaete squarrosa, Encalypta streptocarpa and Phascum curvicolle. With the exception of Encalypta streptocarpa, these species are typical of the Grimaldion fragrantis Sm. et Had. 1944 (MARSTALLER 1993). Most specimens of the two species contained considerable numbers of ripe sporophytes, but some few collections consisted of sterile plants or plants with unripe sporophytes still covered by the calyptra. Small numbers of unripe sporophytes were also present in most specimens containing predominantly ripe capsules. Ripening of sporophytes therefore appears to be rather heterogeneous within and among single gatherings. This necessitated the application of a correction to the collection data when the phenology of the two species was to be compared, as detailed in the Methods section and Appendix 2. The analysis of the collection data shows that sporophytes of both species ripen between March and June, but it also revealed that F. muhlenbergii seems to lag behind F. pulchella in this respect, when average values are compared (Fig. 6). In F. muhlenbergii sporophytes ripen on average about 13 days later (50% deoperculate round the 4 May) than in F. pulchella (50% deoperculate about the 21 April). According to the t-test, the difference in mean day of dehiscence is significant between the species (t = 2.028, df = 74, p < 0.05). Fig. 6. Time of sporophyte ripening in Funaria muhlenbergii and Funaria pulchella. Day of dehiscence (counted from 1 March): 50% of sporophytes without lid. Mean ± 2 standard errors. Number of specimens: F. muhlenbergii: n = 37; F. pulchella: n = 39.