BIOGEOGRAPHY OF PALAWAN MOSSES

The moss flora of Palawan was updated and consists of 192 species in 8 8 genera. Because of the dry, semi-deciduous forest, Palawan has a rel atively depauperate moss flora compared with the flora of moist forest on other islands of similar area. The number of species is higher in riverine forest than in inland forest, and highest at mid-mountain ele vation. Its flora is mainly an extension of the Philippine moss flora, showing little influence from Borneo. Likewise, its floristic affinit y is with the moss floras of the Philippine archipelago, Java, and Les ser Sundas, but not with the Bornean moss flora. Additionally, the rol e of Palawan Island as a refugium for the survival of a past, xeric mo ss flora in South-East Asia is discussed on the basis of evidence from moss distribution. Clastobryum asperrimum (Dix.) Tan was proposed as a new combination and Leucoloma mittenii Fleisch. was considered to be a new synonym of L. walkeri Broth.