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A major challenge in extracting high-quality DNA from bryophytes is the treatment of bryophyte material in the field. The existing and commonly used treatment methods in the field have several shortcomings. Natural drying methods can lead to DNA breaks. In addition, it is highly cumbersome to carry large quantities of silica gel in the field due to its weight and high risk of contamination among samples. In this study, we explored more convenient drying methods to treat bryophyte specimens and promote more efficient DNA recovery. The quantity and quality of genomic DNA extracted from every bryophyte species using different drying methods, including hot-air drying methods (150°C, 80°C, and 40°C), natural drying method, and silica gel drying method, were measured. Spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, and PCR amplification were performed to assess the effects of different drying methods. The results of total DNA purity, total DNA concentration, PCR success, and OD 260/230 ratios suggested that the hot-air drying (40–80°C) was the best method. The morphological comparison revealed that hot-air drying at 40°C and 80°C exerted no significant adverse effects on plant morphology and taxonomic studies. Thus, this method prevents rapid DNA degradation and silica gel pollution and saves the workforce from carrying large amounts of silica gel to the field. Several inexpensive devices, such as portable hairdryers, fan heaters, and electric blankets, are available that can be easily carried to the field for drying molecular specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haplodontium zangiiX.R.Wang & J.C.Zhao, a new moss species from Xizang, China, is described and illustrated. Previously, specimens ofH. zangiihave been identified asMielichhoferia himalayanaMitt. However,H. zangiiis distinctly different fromM. himalayanain having excurrent costae with short awns (vslong denticulate awns), short-pyriform capsules, 0.8–1 mm (vslong-pyriform capsules, 2.5–3 mm), and densely papillose exostome teeth (vssmooth or vertically striped exostome teeth).Haplodontium zangiiis similar toH. macrocarpum(Hook.) J.R.Spence, which was traditionally placed inMielichhoferiaNees & Hornsch. asM. macrocarpa(Hook.) Bruch & Schimp. The main differences betweenH. zangiiandH. macrocarpumare in the morphology of the leaves, capsules, guide cells, and stomata.Mielichhoferia himalayanaand another Chinese species ofMielichhoferia,M. sinensisDix., are also transferred toHaplodontiumHampe, a new genus in the bryoflora of China, asH. himalayanum(Mitt.) X.R.Wang & J.C.Zhao andH. sinensis(Dix.) X.R.Wang & J.C.Zhao. A morphological comparison and a key to the three species ofHaplodontiumin China as well as toH. macrocarpum, a species that is likely to be found in China, are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The biological soil crusts (BSCs) in the Gurbantunggut Desert, the largest fixed and semi-fixed desert in China, feature moss-dominated BSCs, which play an indispensable role in sand fixation. Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. (S. caninervis) serves as one of the most common species in BSCs in the desert. In this study we examined the morphological structure of S. caninervis from leafy gametophyte to protonema using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also examined the relationships between the morphological structure of S. caninervis and environmental factors. We found that: (1) this moss species is commonly tufted on the sand surface, and its leaves are folded upwards and twisted around the stem under dry conditions; (2) the cells on both upper and lower leaf surfaces have C-shaped dark papillae, which may reflect sunlight to reduce the damage from high temperature; (3) the leaf costa is excurrent, forming an awn with forked teeth; and (4) the protonema cells are small and thickset with thick cell walls and the cytoplasm is highly concentrated with a small vacuole. In addition, we also found that the protonema cells always form pouches on the tip of the mother cells during the process of cell polarization. Our results suggest that S. caninervis has, through its life cycle, several morphological and structural characteristics to adapt to dry environmental conditions. These morphological features of S. caninervis may also be found in other deserts in the world due to the world-wide distribution of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]