BRYOPHYTE CHECKLIST AND EUROPEAN RED LIST OF THE BRUSSELS-CAPITAL REGION, FLANDERS AND WALLONIA (BELGIUM)

An amended checklist of the bryophytes of Belgium is presented. Although some taxonomic positions adopted in the most recent European checklist of mosses are discussed, the latter is used as a reference in an attempt to homogenize taxonomic concepts at a wide scale and enable comparisons across countries. Since the previous 2001 checklist of Belgian bryophytes, a total of 17 and 14 species must be added to the Belgian bryoflora owing to taxonomic changes and floristic discoveries, respectively. The report of Grimmia caespiticia, at an altitude of 500-600 m, is particularly noteworthy because this alpine species usually occurs above 2 000 m. Five additional taxa, Scapania cuspiduligera, Dialytrichia fragilifolia, Ephemerum cohaerens, Orthotrichum shawii and Tortella inclinata var. densa, are reported here as new to Belgium. Six species were previously erroneously reported from Belgium and are excluded. As a consequence, the bryophyte flora of Belgium consists of 748 species, including 5 hornworts, 173 liverworts, and 570 mosses whose occurrence in the three regions of Belgium, namely Flanders (5 hornworts, 122 liverworts, 399 mosses), Wallonia (3 hornworts, 169 liverworts, 546 mosses), and Brussels-Capital Region (46 liverworts, 196 mosses), is documented. Thirty-six species (6 liverworts and 30 mosses) have not been recorded since 1980 and are most probably extinct. The new checklist is used to update the list of European red list species that are present in Belgium, which now includes 49 species.