Bryophyte Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra

Download or read book Bryophyte Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra written by Harald Kürschner and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present flora thoroughly covers the bryophytes of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra island, with keys to all species, notes on the occurrence of the species in the different countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) and distribution maps. In contrast, the arid and semi-arid parts of inner Arabia (winter rainfall area) are dominated by drought-adapted and drought-tolerant taxa of probably xerothermic-Pangaean and circum-Tethyan origin. They show a number of xeromorphic adaptations (xeropottioid and xerothalloid life syndrome) for life under desert conditions. The phytogeographical analysis of the bryoflora, as well as the distribution of thalloid and leafy liverworts, respectively acrocarpous and pleurocarpous mosses, demonstrate that there is a clear phytochorial border across the Peninsula, frequently correlated with climatic conditions (winter rainfall/summer rainfall line).