The moss genus Zygodon Hook. & Taylor (Orthotrichaceae) is represented by five species in Poland, namely: Z. dentatus (Limpr.) Kartt., Z. gracilis Wilson, Z. rupestris Schimp. ex A.W.H.Walth. & Molendo, Z. stirtonii Schimp. and Z. viridissimus (Dicks.) Brid. Their current distribution in Poland is reviewed and mapped, and lists of their localities are presented. The ecological preferences, altitudinal limits, reproduction and threats for each species are shortly discussed. A key for determination of these species is given.

Lepidolejeunea grandiocellata, sp. nov. is described for two specimens from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. This delicate species is characterized by ocelli in basal parts of leaves, underleaves, bracteoles and bracts often being conspicuously larger than the surrounding cells, whereas ocelli in central and upper parts of these structures are more or less the same size as surrounding cells. Further defining characters include sharply 5-keeled perianths without inflated horns, and orbicular underleaves with a sharp, v-shaped notch. In a molecular phylogeny based on the nrITS region and the cp DNA markers rbcL and trnL-F, L. grandiocellata is placed sister to a clade including accessions of L. delessertii from Reunion and accessions of L. cuspidata, L. eluta, and L. sullivantii from the Neotropics [L. subg. Perilejeunea]. Based on the phylogeny and the characters of the ocelli, L. grandiocellata is placed in a new subgenus Caribeolejeunea.

Drepanocladus turgescens is a moss of arctic-alpine distribution, very rare and declining in Central Europe, in the past known in Poland from four relict sites in the small basin area in the central Silesia-Cracow Upland (southern Poland), the only sites of the species in Central Europe outside the Alps. All of them were considered extinct thirty years ago. In May 2011 a new site was discovered in the same upland basin, only a few kilometers from the previous localities. The species occurs quite abundantly in patches of extremely rich-fen (Caricion davallianae alliance) of semi-natural origin, mostly in shallow depressions with slightly flowing, spring calcareous water, occasionally drying out.

A new species for Montenegro, Crossocalyx hellerianus was recorded during a bryological field investigation of the Durmitor Mountains. To our knowledge this is the first record of the genus Crossocalyx for the bryophyte flora of Montenegro. We report the distribution of C. hellerianus in the Mediterranean region, and provide a short description of the ecology of the species and its Montenegrin population.

Despite the significant increase of bryological studies in Spain during the last decades, some regions remain poorly studied. This is the case of Sierra de Gredos mountain range, in the Iberian Central System, which we visited in several collecting expeditions, with focus in the insufficiently explored high mountain areas. As a result, we highlight 28 taxa either by their importance in bryological conservation or because those populations are the first evidence of the taxa in the Iberian Central System. It is remarkable the presence of Kiaeria falcata, never collected previously in the Iberian Peninsula although reported in error based on K. starkei specimens, and Polytrichastrum sexangulare, known so far in the Iberian Peninsula only from the Pyrenees. Likewise, we highlight the new populations of Andreaea nivalis, Anthoceros caucasicus, Kiaeria blyttii, Meesia triquetra, and Polytrichum longisetum. The first one is reported fertile for the first time in Spain. In addition, we found 13 species listed in different threat categories whose number of populations and/or Area of Occupancy (AOO) is inconsistent with the category to that they have been assigned in Spain. Thus, four endangered species proved to be relatively common in the Central System; consequently, we propose to withdraw these species from the list of threatened bryophytes in Spain. This study highlights the urgent need to deepen into the taxonomic and chorological research of Spanish bryological biodiversity to set a solid basis on which an adequate and efficient conservation management may be performed. Finally, taxonomic and ecological comments are indicated for some species.

New distributional data from France for two European endemic species, Seligeria carniolica and S. irrigata, are provided. The latter is new to France and this discovery significantly extends its current geographical range. The former is red-listed as an endangered endemic species in Europe and for a long time it was known only from some widely distributed isolated localities but nowadays it appears to be quite well represented in eastern France. The biogeography of these two species is discussed and S. carniolica, formerly considered as a boreal-montane suboceanic element, could be better designated as a Perialpine species with disjunct, highly isolated occurrences in northern Europe and in the Balkan Peninsula. Seligeria irrigata is primarily an Alpine species with some isolated localities in the Western Carpathians of Slovakia and in the Abruzzean Apennine Mountains in Italy.

There are many conflicting reports regarding the effects of cryptogamic biological soil crusts on seed germination, seedling emergence and plant establishment. The current research investigated the effects of cryptogams (mosses and lichens) on seedling emergence and initial establishment of two vascular plants, namely Stipa barbata and S. capensis, under greenhouse conditions. For this purpose, 28 cylindrical pots were used to carefully transport field soil to the greenhouse, from two adjacent areas with similar conditions with and without cryptogams in the northeast of Golestan province of Iran. For S. barbata and S. capensis seeds planted in pots, seedling emergence, establishment and performance were evaluated over two months. The rate and percentage were higher for plants, particularly S. capensis, on soils with cryptogams than those on soils without cryptogams; such improvements could be related to the effects of cryptogams on moisture, temperature and nutrient increase in soil.

Seasonal changes in specific activity of acid phosphatase have been examined in 12 taxa of liverworts collected from different areas of Himachal Pradesh. The collection period was divided into three seasons relevant to bryophyte life history: rainy, winter and end of the growing season. The specific activity of acid phosphatase was highest during the rainy season in all except Asterella angusta and the lowest at the end of the growing season, thus indicating that the activity of the enzyme varies seasonally.