venturIella acrIfolIa (erPodIaceae, bryoPhyta), new  
to the dry foreSt from argentIna  
venturIella acrIfolIa (erPodIaceae, bryoPhyta), nueva Para el  
boSque Seco de argentIna  
,
Guillermo M. Suárez¹²* , Enrique Roger³ & Denise J. Alvarez¹  
Summary  
Background and aims: In the course of floristic dry forest sampling, specimens of  
1
. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET-  
Venturiella acrifolia were collected in Santiago del Estero and Santa Fe provinces.  
This record constitutes the first report in Argentina and the second in South America.  
M&M: Specimens collected in 2019 and 2023 were analyzed morphologically using  
conventional techniques for bryophytes and housed in DTE, LIL, MFA and SDE.  
Results: The species is described and illustrated.  
Fundación Miguel Lillo), San Miguel  
de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina  
2
. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e  
Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad  
Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel  
de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina  
Conclusions: This work confirms the presence of Venturiella acrifolia in Argentina.  
The species is found in North America, Mexico, Bolivia and Argentina.  
3
. Jardín Botánico “Lucas D. Roic”,  
Facultad de Ciencias Forestales,  
Universidad Nacional de Santiago  
del Estero, Santiago del Estero,  
Argentina  
Key wordS  
Bryophytes, dry forest; Espinal, moss, new record.  
reSumen  
*
suarezgm@csnat.unt.edu.ar  
Introducción y objetivos: En el transcurso del muestreo florístico del bosque seco,  
se encontraron especimenes de Venturiella acrifolia en las provincias de Santiago  
del Estero y Santa Fe. Este registro constituye el primer reporte en la Argentina y  
el segundo en Sudamérica.  
M&M: Especímenes colectados en 2019 y 2023 fueron analizados morfológicamente  
usando técnicas convencionales para briófitas y depositados en DTE, LIL, MFA y  
SDE.  
Citar este artículo  
SUÁREZ, G. M., E. ROGER & D.  
J. ALVAREZ. 2023. Venturiella  
acrifolia (Erpodiaceae, Bryophyta),  
new to the dry forest from  
Argentina. Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58:  
Resultados: Se describe e ilustra la especie.  
529-532.  
Conclusiones:EstetrabajoconfirmalapresenciadeVenturiellaacrifoliaenArgentina.  
La especie se encuentra en América del Norte, México, Bolivia y Argentina.  
DOI: https://doi.  
org/10.31055/1851.2372.v58.  
n4.41889  
PalabraS clave  
Bosque seco, briofitas, Espinal, musgo, nuevo registro.  
IntroductIon  
The Erpodiaceae are a family of small and prostrate, pleurocarpous  
mosses and they are found mainly in dry areas of tropical and subtropical  
regions of the world (Pursell, 2017). Actually, five genera are recognized,  
Aulacopilum Wilson, Erpodium (Brid.) Brid., Solmsiella Müll.Hal.,  
Tricherpodium (Müll.Hal.) Pursell, and Venturiella Müll.Hal. (Gradstein et  
al., 2001). In Argentina the family is represent by three genera, each with  
a single species, Aulacopilum glaucum Wilson, Tricherpodium becarii  
(Müll. Hal.) Pursell and Venturiella glaziovii (Hampe) Pursell (Pursell,  
2
017; Jiménez et al., 2020; Alvarez et al., 2023).  
Recibido: 21 Jul 2023  
Aceptado: 1 Nov 2023  
Publicado en línea: 30 Nov 2023  
Publicado impreso: 22 Dic 2023  
Editor: Juan Larraín  
The genus Venturiella includes eight species making it the most  
diversified genus in the Erpodiaceae (Pursell, 2017). As part of study of  
the bryoflora of dry forests in Argentina, specimens of Venturiella acrifolia  
Pursell) Pursell were identified.  
(
The specimens reported here confirm the presence of this taxon in the  
Argentine moss flora and the samples are described and illustrated.  
ISSN versión impresa 0373-580X  
ISSN versión on-line 1851-2372  
529  
Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023  
materIal and methodS  
short, 0.1-0.15 mm long. Capsules erect,  
immersed, yellow, ovate-cylindric, 0.8-1.5  
This study is based on examination of mm long; exothecial cells mostly quadrate to  
fresh material housed in DTE, LIL, MFA oblong, thin-walled; stomata phaneroporous;  
and SDE (Thiers, 2023). In this work the opercula conic-rostrate; annuli hyaline, with  
following information is provided: description, 2 or 3 rows of quadrate and vesiculose cells;  
illustrations, comments, world distribution, peristomes rudimentary, segments irregular,  
vegetation and substrate types of Venturiella densely but finely papillose, hyaline membranes  
acrifolia, selected specimens examined, and usually shortly exceeding annuli. Spores green,  
distribution in Argentina based on the studied ± spherical, 18-25 µm, thick-walled, finely  
collections. The samples were analyzed by papillose to ± smooth. Calyptrae mitrate.  
conventional techniques for bryophytes (Frahm  
et al., 2003; Delgadillo-Moya et al., 2022).  
Distribution and habitat. Venturiella  
acrifolia is present in North America (Mexico,  
United States) and South America (Bolivia  
and Argentina) (Fig. 2), a disjunction found  
in several mosses and liverworts (Schiavone  
reSultS  
Venturiella acrifolia (Pursell) Pursell, Mem. & Suárez, 2007; Suárez & Schiavone, 2010).  
New York Bot. Gard. 116: 50. 2017; Erpodium The species can be found growing in dry  
acrifolium Pursell, The Bryologist 69: 465. areas on bark of living trees, decaying wood,  
1
966 [1967]. TYPE: MEXICO. Tamaulipas, on and less commonly on rocks (Pursell, 2017).  
bark of mesquite, dry mesquite scrub forest, 9.2 The specimens from Santiago del Estero were  
mi E of Victoria on road to Casas, ca. 500 ft, found on bark of Neltuma caldenia (Burkart)  
6
-VIII-1961, Pursell & Reese 5505 (holotype, C.E.Hughes & G.P.Lewis (“caldén”) and  
MO; isotypes, MO, NY). Fig. 1. Vachellia aroma (Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.)  
Plants small, green, often with a castaneous Seigler & Ebinger (“tusca”), in an anthropized  
to brownish tinge; stems prostrate, tightly area. In Santa Fe, the plants were found on  
adhering to substrata, irregularly branched. bark of Neltuma nigra (Griseb.) C.E.Hughes  
Stems in transverse section ± circular, epidermal & G.P.Lewis (“black carob”), in an area with  
cells ± incrassate on outer walls; rhizoids sparse, cattle.  
arranged in small tufts, sparingly branched,  
hyaline to light-castaneous, smooth. Axillary  
Material studied. ARGENTINA. Prov.  
hairs 2-3 cells long, basal cells small and Santa Fe: Dept. Garay, Cayastá, Reserva  
terminal cell larger, all hyaline or 1-2 basal cells de Usos Múltiples “La Elena”, 31°16’05”S,  
brown. Leaves of stems and branches differing 60°15’12”W, 1-VIII-2023, Alvarez 418 (DTE,  
only in size, firm, erect, tightly appressed when MFA, LIL); 31°16’02”S, 60°15’11.2”W,  
dry, spreading when wet, oblong-lanceolate, 1-VIII-2023, Alvarez 422 (DTE, MFA, LIL);  
0
.9-1 × 0.3-0.4 mm (including awns), ending in Dept. San Justo, Colonia Silva, campo “Santa  
short, sharp, reflexed, hyaline awns; costa none; Teresa”, 30°27’29.7”S, 60°35’15.2”W, 11-  
margins plane, entire; laminal cells smooth; VIII-2023, Alvarez 463A (DTE, MFA, LIL).  
marginal cells mostly oblate and quadrate 15- 30°27’49”S, 60°35’25”W, 11-VIII-2023,  
2
2 × 28-32 µm; inner cells throughout leaf Alvarez 478A (DTE, MFA, LIL); 30°27’49”S,  
oblate, quadrate, or oblate-hexagonal, 20-27 × 60°35’25”W, 11-VIII-2023, Alvarez 479 (DTE,  
-38 µm. Perichaetia terminal on short, erect MFA, LIL); 30°27’50”S, 60°35’24”W, 11-VIII-  
2
branches; perichaetial leaves green, greatly 2023, Alvarez 482 (DTE, MFA). Prov. Santiago  
enlarged at maturity, oblong-ovate, 1-1.3 × del Estero: Dept. Capital, Predio del Jardín  
0
.5-0.6 mm long, awned, spreading when Botánico de la UNSE, 25-IX-2019, Morend s.n.  
wet, concave, loosely sheathing sporophytes; (LIL, SDE), en espacio verde entre edificios del  
cells mostly oblong to oblong-hexagonal. barrio Belgrano, 28-IX-2022, Roger s.n. (LIL,  
Sporophytes 1 per perichaetium. Setae very SDE).  
530  
G. M. Suárez et al. - Venturiella acrifolia in Argentina  
Fig. 1. Venturiella acrifolia. A-C: Habit (wet). D-E: Habit (dry). F: Leaves. G: Perichaetial leaves. H: Leaf  
apex. I: Perichaetial leaf apex. J: Stem (in transverse section). K: Sporophyte. L: Calyptra. M: Annulus. N:  
Axillary hairs. Scale= A-E: 0.5 mm; F, G: 0.25 mm; H-J: 25 µm; K, L: 0.25 mm; M, N: 25 µm.  
531  
Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58 (4) 2023  
in the “La Elena” Multiple-use Reserve. This  
research was supported by the Argentinian  
National Council for Scientific and Technical  
Research (CONICET) and Research Project of  
the National University of Tucumán PIUNT  
G-744.  
bIblIograPhy  
ALVAREZ, D. J., A. B. VILLALBA & G. M.  
SUÁREZ. 2023. Contribución al conocimiento de  
las briófitas (Bryophyta) en el valle de inundación  
del río Paraná en su tramo medio (Santa Fe,  
Argentina). Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 58: 195-213.  
https://doi.org/10.31055/1851.2372.v58.n2.38909  
DELGADILLO-MOYA, C., D. A. ESCOLÁSTICO,  
E. HERNÁNDEZ-RODRÍGUEZ, P. HERRERA-  
PANIAGUA, P. PEÑA-RETES & C. JUÁREZ-  
MARTÍNEZ. 2022. Manual de Briofitas. 3ra ed.  
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,  
México.  
Fig. 2. Distribution map of V. acrifolia in the  
American continent, including the two new records  
from Argentina (highlighted in red).  
concluSIonS  
FRAHM, J. P., T. PÓCS, B. O´SHEA, T. KOPONEN,  
S. PIIPPO, J. ENROTH, P. RAO & Y. M. FANG.  
2003. Manual of Tropical Bryology. Board,  
Germany.  
The discovery of this species in Argentina is  
surprising because it is located in an anthropized  
zone, no less than 1300 km away from its closest  
record. The new record of the species can GRADSTEIN, S. R., S. P. CHURCHILL & N.  
hypothetically be associated with its spontaneous  
appearance by air transport of spores disseminated  
by wind or that they are relict specimens of the  
original vegetation without previous records.  
This paper confirms the presence of Venturiella  
acrifolia in the dry forests of Santiago del Estero  
and Spinal of Santa Fe, from Argentina. This  
constitutes the first report in Argentina and the  
second in South America.  
SALAZAR-ALLEN. 2001. Guide to the  
Bryophytes of Tropical America. Mem. New York  
Bot. Gard. 86: i-viii, 1-577.  
JIMENEZ, S., G. M. SUÁREZ & R. A. CABRAL.  
2020. New records of mosses from the Dry Chaco  
forest of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Bol. Soc.  
Argent. Bot. 55: 547-555.  
https://doi.org/10.31055/1851.2372.v55.n4.30127  
PURSELL, R. A. 2017. A Taxonomic Revision of the  
Erpodiaceae (Bryophyta). Mem. New York Bot.  
Gard. 116: 1-105.  
author contrIbutIonS  
SCHIAVONE, M. M. & G. M. SUÁREZ. 2007. Las  
Thuidiaceae en el Noroeste de Argentina. Bol.  
Soc. Argent. Bot. 42: 211-230.  
ER and DJA collected the plants. DJA and GMS  
determined the samples. All authors have worked SUÁREZ, G. M. & M. M. SCHIAVONE. 2010. New  
simultaneously on the manuscript.  
combinations and range extension for Neotropical  
mosses. Bryologist 113: 679-681.  
https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-113.3.679  
THIERS, B. M. 2023 [Continuously updated]. Index  
Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria  
and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s  
Virtual Herbarium. http://sweetgum.nybg.org/  
science/ih.  
acKnowledgmentS  
We thank the Ministry of Environment and  
Climate Change of the province of Santa Fe  
for providing permission to collect specimens  
532