Syrrhopodon tjibodensis Fleischer 1904

This is a very distinctive species and interesting because of the manner in which it bears its oddly short gemmae, on the base of the upper laminae rather that on the leaf tip. Although it has been classified with, e.g., S. parasiticus and S. disciformis Dusén in Syrrhopodon subg. Pseudocalymperes, S. tjibodensis is not closely related to either of those species. The plants at first glance bear remarkable resemblance to S. gaudichaudii Mont. (Africa, Neotropics), but differ among other ways in the peculiar gemmae. This species cannot be confused with any other Chinese Syrrhopodon.

Plants medium-sized, 1.0–2.5 cm high, brownish-green, tufted. Stems elongate, simple, rhizoids brownish red, inconspicuous. Leaves crispate-contorted when dry, bases conspicuously clasping stem, appressed when wet, broadly acuminate above broader base, 2–3 mm long, axillary hairs inconspicuous; cells of upper laminae obscure, isodiametric, densely bulging-pluripapillose abaxially and adaxially; margins of upper laminae bordered all around with hyaline cells, cancellinae broadly rounded distally. Gemmae frequent but often difficult to find, short, often curved, clavate or fusiform, borne on adaxial surface of leaf along flanks of costa just distal to cancellinae or rarely at midleaf, sometimes long-stalked (Reese et al. 17620). Sporophytes not seen.

Distribution: China, India, tropical Asia, and Malaysia.

Habitat: very rare; on tree trunks in forests at moderate elevations; 1250–1360 m.

Calymperopsis tjibodensis (Fleisch.) Fleisch., Biblioth. Bot. 80: 5. 1913.