80 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 82 (1), 2023 Acta Bot. Croat. 82 (1), 80–82, 2023 CODEN: ABCRA 25 DOI: 10.37427/botcro-2022-026 ISSN 0365-0588 eISSN 1847-8476 Short communication New bryophyte taxa for Bosnia and Herzegovina Jovana P. Pantović1*, Svetlana N. Grdović2, Marko S. Sabovljević1,3 1 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Takovska 43, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 2 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bulevar oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 3 Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science Department of Botany, Mánesova 23, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia Abstract – Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long history of bryophyte flora research. However, it is still considered in- sufficiently investigated, and until recently bryophyte investigations were completely neglected. Hence new records for the country are expected with novel explorations. Here, we report one liverwort (Porella obtusata) and four moss spe- cies (Bryum klinggraeffii, Cinclidotus danubicus, Habrodon perpusillus and Imbribryum subapiculatum) new for the country’s bryophyte flora. With these new records, the bryoflora of Bosnia and Herzegovina numbers 673 taxa (no hornworts, 134 liverworts and 539 mosses). Keywords: Balkans, bryoflora, liverwort, mosses, new records Introduction The Balkan Peninsula is characterized by a diversity of geological history, climate and habitat types, which all re- sulted in a diverse and rich bryophyte flora in a relatively small area (Sabovljević et al. 2011). Lately, numerous new records have been published within the Balkan region, i.e. Albania, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ser- bia (e.g., Sabovljević et al. 2010). In spite of that, distribu- tional data of many species are still incomplete, especially for ephemeral species and those that are taxonomically dif- ficult and unresolved. Furthermore, certain parts of many regions and countries are to date completely unexplored in terms of bryology. Bryological research in Bosnia and Her- zegovina started with Sendtner in the middle of the 19th century (Kummer and Sendtner 1849). However, explora- tions were sporadic, with long interruptions (Grgić 1985), hence there is a lack of recent and updated floristic data, in particular of certain areas. For example, only a few studies were published recently for Bosnia and Herzegovina (e.g., Pantović et al. 2016, 2017). At present, the bryophyte flora of the country numbers 133 liverworts and 535 moss taxa (Hodgetts and Lockhart 2020, Ellis et al. 2021a,b). Materials and methods The subject of the bryological research was the tributar- ies of the lower course of the Neretva River in the region of southern Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina, SE Eu- rope), namely the rivers Buna, Bunica, Bregava, Tihaljina and Trebižat (Fig. 1). The area of southern Herzegovina is influenced by a Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean cli- mate. This area has approximately 2,291 hours of sunshine per year, while the vegetation period lasts around or more than 240 days. Although the precipitation is high, with an average rainfall of 1,515 mm y-1, owing to the porous nature of its karstic soil, there is a general lack of surface water (Galić 2011). The main features of the investigated area re- sult in the richness of natural geomorphological, hydro- logical and biological values (Redžić et al. 2008, Lasić and Jasprica 2016). The bryophyte samples were collected in August 2020. All main habitat types alongside the river courses were in- vestigated, and specimens were collected from various sub- strata, e.g. soil, rocks, and tree bark. The list of species lo- calities with details is given below. Voucher specimens were deposited in the Bryophyte Collection of the Herbarium of University of Belgrade (BEOU). Nomenclature for liver- worts and mosses follows Hodgetts and Lockhart (2020). The investigated sites include: 1 – Peć Mlini, 43.33747 N, 17.32592 E, 143 m a.s.l., date 11.08.20., leg: Jovana Pantović (JP) & Gordana Čokanović (GČ), det: JP, 2 – Peć Mlini, 43.33698 N, 17.32373 E, 137 m, 11.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: Marko Sabovljević (MS), 3 – Bagin most, Humac, 43.18675 N, 17.51575 E, 69 m, 11.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: MS, 4 – Struge, 43.09229 N, 17.69733 E, 7 m, 12.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, * Corresponding author e-mail: jpantovic@bio.bg.ac.rs NEW BRYOPHYTE TAXA FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ACTA BOT. CROAT. 82 (1), 2023 81 det: MS, 5 – Trebižat River, near Hacijenda bar, 43.12312 N, 17.67339 E, 17 m, 12.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: MS, 6 – Bagin most, 43.18342 N, 17.52270 E, 64 m, 13.08.2020., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 7 – Ljubuški, Baščine, 43.18040 N, 17.52745 E, 65 m, 13.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 8 – Bregava River, near the confluence, 43.10134 N, 17.73029 E, 8 m, 13.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 9 – Bregava River, near mini hydroelectric power plant “Do”, 43.08491 N, 18.00514 E, 94 m, 14.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 10 – Buna and Neretva confluence, 43.23527 N, 17.83394 E, 25 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 11 – Buna and Neretva confluence, 43.23570 N, 17.83407 E, 30 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 12 – Buna River, Dokića pond, 43.24556 N, 17.84653 E, 367 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: MS, 13 – Bunica River, Malo Polje, 43.23239 N, 17.88093 E, 42 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 14 – Bunica River, 43.23667 N, 17.86907 E, 38 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP, 15 – Tekija, Buna River source, 43.25667 N, 17.90298 E, 38 m, 15.08.20., leg: JP & GČ, det: JP. Results and discussion Here we report five new species for the bryophyte flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina: one liverwort and four mosses (number referring to sites given in text of Materials and methods). Bryum klinggraeffii Schimp.: site 13: wet rocks by the river. The ruderal moss B. klinggraeffii is widespread through Europe, but it is red-listed in some countries like Portugal (Critically Endangered – CR), Romania (Endangered – EN), and Slovenia (Data Deficient – DD) (Hodgetts and Lockhart 2020). Cinclidotus danubicus Schiffn. & Baumgartner: site: 3: rocks in the water; site 4: the Platanus sp. roots by the water; site 6: rock by the river; site 7: roots by the water; site 8: lime- stone in dry riverbed; site 10: rocks in the water; site 11: Salix sp. bark; site 13: rocks in the water; site 15: rocks in the water. This species is endemic for Europe, and in the Balkan region is known only from Croatia and Slovenia as well as from Hungary. (Hodgetts and Lockhart 2020). Habrodon perpusillus (De Not.) Lindb.: site: 5: Fraxinus sp. bark; site 9: Populus nigra bark. This species is common in the Mediterranean region; however, it is rare and red-listed in some non-Mediterra- nean countries, e.g. Romania (CR), Norway, Great Britain, Slovenia (EN), Canary Islands and Switzerland (Vulnerable – VU) (Hodgetts and Lockhart 2020). Imbribryum subapiculatum (Hampe) D.Bell & Holyoak: site 1: rock crevice by the water; site 2: tufa; site 13: wet rocks by the river; site 14: wet soil by the river. Imbribryum subapiculatum is a temperate species some- what less frequent in the Balkan peninsula, probably due to misidentification with other species of small tuber-bearing Bryum species. Porella obtusata (Taylor) Trevis.: site 12: Populus nigra bark. Porella obtusata is a liverwort with a southwestern dis- tribution in Europe. It is considered a threatened species in some European countries, for example it is endangered (EN) in Norway, vulnerable (VU) in Serbia and near threat- ened (NT) in Italy and the Canary Islands (Hodgetts and Lockhart 2020). The bryoflora of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the new records reported here numbers 673 taxa (134 liver- worts and 539 mosses). Further new findings of bryophytes are expected with the intensification of field investigation. Fig. 1. Position of the investigated area of the lower course of the Neretva River within Bosnia and Herzegovina. All recorded localities of five new species records for the country (liverwoth Porella obtusata and mosses Bryum klinggraeffii, Cinclidotus danubicus, Habrodon perpusillus and Imbribryum subapiculatum) are marked on the map with a unique symbol. PANTOVIĆ J. P., GRDOVIĆ S. N., SABOVLJEVIĆ M. S. 82 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 82 (1), 2023 Acknowledgments This research was conducted as a part of a project “Steps Towards the Protection of Neretva Tributaries of the Neret- va: Buna, Bunica, Bregava and Trebižat, Bosnia and Herze- govina” financially supported by The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). The list of bryophyte species from this area will be published in a popular educational booklet on biodiversity from this area as a part of project outcomes. 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