Meesia uliginosa Hedw. (Musci, Meesiaceae) in Antarctica

Meesia uliginosa Hedw. and the family Meesiaceae are recorded for the first time in the Antarctic. The species is occasional on Joinville and James Ro ss Islands near the Trinity Peninsula, on Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands and on Livingston and Robert Islands in the South Shetland Islands, whereas on King George Island, in the latter archipelago, it is locally fr equent. The Antarctic plants are briefly described and illustrated and the local distribution of the species on King George Island and in the maritime Antarctic is mapped. The ecological requirements of M. uliginosa in Antarc tica are described in detail and the global geographical distribution of th e species is reviewed. Ceratodon kinggeorgicus Kanda, a species originally described from King George Island, is considered to be conspecific with M. uliginosa. (C) ADAC / Elsevier, Paris.