Dr. Ronald Pursell of Pennsylvania State University is preparing a comprehensive, systematic study of the species of mosses belonging to the family Fissidentaceae, that occur in Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America. The study is based primarily on specimens preserved in museums in the United States, Europe and Latin America. At present, over 300 species are recognized, although when the study is completed this number may be reduced by as much as 50%. After three years of research, approximately 50% of the species have been studied. The project will be completed in an additional three years. The ultimate publication will consist essentially of a detailed Introduction (including the delimitation of the family, an historical account of the family, its evolution, geographic limitations and ecology, and the basic structural features of its member plants) and a Systematic Section including keys for the identification of species and other taxonomic groups, descriptions and illustrations of all species recognized, geographic distribution and the ecologic amplitude of each species, and discussion on the relationships of the species. The monograph will summarize all the work published over the past 188 years on this family of plants in this area. It will be used by individuals, both professional scientists and non- professionals, to identify representative collections of the species. Moreover, at a time when human activities are drastically affecting the survival of many plants, this study, when used with similar studies, will be helpful in identifying areas rich in endemics and/or rare species that should be protected.***
