# Two New Species of Lophozia (Marchantiophyta) from the Sino-Himalaya and the Taxonomic Diversity of East Asian Lophozia

## TL;DR

Two new species of Lophozia liverworts were discovered in China, adding to the known diversity of this genus in East Asia.

## Contribution

The discovery and description of two new Lophozia species with unique gemmae colors and their phylogenetic placement in East Asia.

## Key findings

- Two new Lophozia species, L. neglecta and L. vinacea, were identified based on distinct gemmae colors.
- Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of L. fuscovirens in the Kamchatka Peninsula.
- East Asia hosts 12 Lophozia species grouped into distinct biogeographic regions.

## Abstract

An integrative study of material from Yunnan Province, China, revealed two new Lophozia species. These species and several other representatives of the genus known from East Asia form a distinct clade within the phylogenetic structure of Lophozia. Descriptions, photographs, and comments regarding the morphological characteristics of the new taxa are provided. Lophozia neglecta is characterized by pink gemmae (another taxon with similar gemmae is East Asian L. koreana), whereas L. vinacea is characterized by vine-purple gemmae, which were previously unknown in the genus. Additionally, molecular analysis confirmed the occurrence of L. fuscovirens, a poorly known Lophozia taxon with brown gemmae, in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The taxonomic diversity of Lophozia in East Asia comprises 12 species belonging to various distribution groups, including the Sino-Himalayan and broadly East Asian groups.