Taxonomic study of the Mosses in Fars, Chahar Mahal-o- Bakhtiari, Boyer Ahmad-o-Kohgiluyeh and LorestanProvinces (IRAN )

Study of the Mosses (Bryophytes) in Iran, has not yet received the deserved attention, particularly by the Iranian botanists. Shirzadian (the writer), an indigenous bryologist, took up a research project (1996-98) on Moss collections and identifications from northern provinces of Iran as the first person from the country. The present research project is, therefore, undertaken in continuation of the first project to provide a taxonomic account for the area (Fars, Chahar Mahal-o-Bakhtiari, Boyer Ahmad-o- Kohgiluyeh and Lorestan) situated in the western and southwestern provinces of Iran. In this project, out of a huge Moss specimens collected from the surveyed regions, following 42 taxa (including three varieties, 41 species, 27 genera and 13 families) are identified out of which, one variety, nine species and one genus are records for the country each marked with 1-3 asterisks respectively: Amblystegium serpens, Anacolia*** menziesii**, Anoectangium handlii, Barbula vinealis, Bryum alpinum**, Cinclidotus fontinaloides, Cratoneuron commutatum, Crossidium squamiferum var. pottioideum, Didymodon spadiceus, D. tophaceus, Encalypta vulgaris var. vulgaris, Eucladium verticillatum, Eurhynchium hians, Fabronia pusilla**, Fissidens viridulus** var. tenuifolius*, Funaria attenuate, Grimmia anodon, G. elatior**, G. elongata**, G. hartmanii**, G. laevigata, G. pulvinata, G. trichophylla, Gymnostomum calcareum, G. aeruginosum, Isopterigium sp., Microbryum davallianum, Orthotrichum cupulatum, O. pumilum, O. rupestre, Physcomitrium pyriforme**, Plagiomnium sp., Pohlia elongata**, P. flexuosa, Schistidium apocarpum, Syntrichia princes, S. ruralis, Timmiella barbuloides, Tortula inermis, T. muralis and Warnstorfia exannulata. In addition, a leafy liverworth, namely, Dumortiera hirsuta is also gathered and identified. 17 The voucher specimens along with their herbarium numbers and other related data are preserved in the non-flowering section of 'Herbarium Ministerii Iranici Agriculturae' (IRAN).