Rudolf Mathias Schuster Livres

Part II of Austral Hepaticae treats two of the largest and most complex suborders of the order Jungermanniales. The first suborder, the Cephaloziineae, includes some four families, of which the largest and most complex, the Cephaleziaceae, contains five subfamilies, with some 12 genera. The second suborder, the Jungermannlineae, includes some six families, ten subfamilies, and 40 genera. In total, some 69 genera are studied. As in Part I, each genus/ subgenus is illustrated with both gametophytic and sporophytic details, and usually cytological details (drawn from the living plant). Over 2700 individual figures on 224 plates, drawn (with isolated exceptions) by the author, often from living plants, have been prepared for this volume. The work thus is a summation of what the author has learned in over four decades, in field and in laboratory studies, in all areas of the Southern Hemisphere. Much of the technical data are relegated to Annotations, in which a mass of data is presented, sing specific species to round out our comprehension of the verse genera. As in Part I of this work, synoptic keys for smaller genera keys are usually presented.

The proliferation of species, often misclassified in the wrong genera, has significantly affected taxonomic work in 20th-century hepaticology. Many species have been described under multiple genera, with some genera, like Lepidolejeunea, encompassing up to 12. A critical need exists for a synthesis to define families, genera, and subgenera, a task not undertaken for over a century. This work addresses that need by synthesizing knowledge gained primarily in the latter half of the 20th century regarding liverwort classification. It emphasizes modern criteria for defining suborders, families, and genera, focusing on features largely overlooked before 1950, such as ramification patterns, capsule wall anatomy, and oil-bodies. The author provides 211 figures to illustrate these features and the basic aspects of each genus, primarily studying living plants. Key genera, including Lepidozia and Pseudocephalozia, are highlighted. While species diagnoses are not attempted, generic boundaries are established by illustrating several species per genus, with keys provided for larger genera. The author’s extensive fieldwork across diverse regions has enabled a deep understanding of these organisms as living entities, contrasting with traditional herbarium-based studies. This approach aims to convey a sense of the taxa as vibrant, living organisms.