The family Orthotrichaceae (Bryophyta) in flora of Russia: results of revision and biogeographical review

Recent studies on Orthotrichoid mosses in Russia are summarized genus by genus. Orthotrichum furcatum Otnyukova is synonymized with Nyholmiella obtusifolia. Orthotrichum vittii is excluded from the Russian moss flora. Description of O. dagestanicum is amended. Fifty four currently recognized species from 9 genera of the Orthotrichaceae are presently known to occur in Russia; list of species with common synonyms and brief review of distribution in Russia is presented. Numerous problematic specimens with unresolved taxonomy were omitted for future. Revealed taxonomical inconsistencies in the genera Zygodon, Ulota, Lewinskya, Nyholmiella, Orthotrichum are briefly discussed. Main regularities of spatial differentiation of the family Orthotrichaceae in Russia are considered. Recently presented novelties contribute to the certain biogeographic pattern, indicating three different centers of diversity of the family, changing along longitudinal gradient. Unlike European one, continental Asian diversity of Orthotrichaceae is still poorly known, the Siberian specimens which were previously referred to European species in most cases were found to represent other, poorly known or undescribed species. North Pacific Region houses peculiar and poorly understood hot spot of diversity of Orthotrichoid mosses. Thus, these hot spots are obligatory to be sampled in course of revisions of particular groups, since they likely comprise under-recorded cryptic- or semi-cryptic species. Latitudinal gradient also contributes to the spatial differentiation of the revealed taxonomic composition of Orthotrichaceae.