the genus Coccocarpia (Peltigerales: Coccocarpiaceae) - Instituto ...

Selected specimens examined: COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Volcán Tenorio National Park, Mar 2004, Nelsen
3762 (INB-4031349, WIS), Sipman 51769 (B, INB-4031350), 51831 (B, INB-4031351), Trest 1553c (CR,
INB-4031352). Guanacaste: Volcán Tenorio National Park, Mar 2004, Aptroot 60647 (ABL, INB-3968061).
Heredia: La Selva Protection Zone, Oct 2002, Lücking 16002f (F). Puntarenas: La Amistad International
Park, Jul 2002, Lücking 15260f (INB-3976254), Nelsen 2116a (WIS), Sipman 48020g (INB-3927549). Las
Cruces Biological Station, Oct 2004, Sipman 53372 (B, INB-3993874).
Coccocarpia tenuissima Müll. Arg. Fig. 3G
Notes: Found only once but the material agrees well with the type (Fig. 3G).
Selected specimens examined: COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Volcán Tenorio National Park, Mar 2004,
Aptroot 60525 (ABL, INB-3967677).
Ecological analysis
Coccocarpia erythroxyli and C. palmicola are not only the most abundant species but also
show the widest ecological amplitude, ranging from (semi-)arid to perhumid climates and
from sea level to the subparamo zone at 3500 m (Fig. 6). This coincides with the statements
by ARVIDSSON (1983) that these two species are the only ones also found in extratropical
regions and the only ones that reach altitudes above 4000 m in the Andes. We could not
confirm the observation of ARVIDSSON (1983) that the two forms of Coccocarpia with
adnate thallus and blue-black rhizines versus loosely attached thallus and white rhizines
intergrade along an altitudinal gradient; the typical 'montane' form was also found in the
lowland rain forest at 50 m altitude.
According to ARVIDSSON (1983), Coccocarpia pellita is another common and
widespread taxon at a world-wide level, but at the regional level in our material was
restricted to (per-)humid climates between 1000 and 3500 m. On the contrary, C. dissecta
seems to be a lowland species with a range from (semi-)arid to (sub-)humid climates. The
collections of C. guimarana also originate from lowland subhumid forest. Three other
species apparently confined to lower altitudes are C. glaucina, C. neglecta, and C.
tenuissima (Fig. 6).
Another group of species, being mostly found at mid elevations in (sub-)humid to
perhumid climates, includes C. adnata, C. epiphylla, C. aff. imbricascens, C.
microphyllina, and C. stellata (Fig. 6). Coccocarpia gallaicoi possibly also belongs here,
but the label data on the type material are insufficient to draw meaningful ecological
conclusions.
The three remaining taxa, Coccocarpia domingensis, C. filiformis, and C. prostrata, are
mostly confined to humid climates but show a wide altitudinal range, from the lowland and
the colline to the upper montane and subparamo zone (Fig. 6).
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