Riccardia verticillata gradst. & reeb, a new dendroid species of riccardia (aneuraceae) from the cordillera del Cóndor, Ecuador

Abstract

The Cordillera del Cóndor on the border between Ecuador and Peru stands out because of its rich biodiversity and high endemism. Here we describe a new dendroid species of the thalloid liverwort genus Riccardia, R. verticillata Gradst. & Reeb, from El Quimi Biological Reserve in the Cóndor region of Ecuador.The plants are described using anatomical and morphological methods. For the anatomical study, plants were treated with bleach (20%) and stained with methylene blue, enhancing observation of the thallus structure.