CONTRIBUTION TO THE BRYOFLORA OF BANJ BRDO (BANJA LUKA, REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA, B&H)

Abstract

Banj brdo is situated within the City of Banja Luka (Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The present paper provides the first insight into the bryoflora of Banj brdo. Field investigations were conducted from March 2019 to February 2020, as well as in April 2022. A total of 30 species of bryophytes were collected. Marchantiophyta was represented by 8 species, while Bryophyta comprises 22 species. The genera Metzgeria and Alleniella were represented by two species each, while the other genera were represented by one species each. The families with the largest number of species and genera were Neckeraceae, Metzgeriaceae, Mniaceae, Polytrichaceae and Pottiaceae. Rajnerovo vrelo was the only recorded habitat of the liverworts Apopellia endiviifolia, Conocephalum conicum and Marchantia polymorpha on Banj brdo, and the need to preserve that habitat from negative anthropogenic influences is indicated. The most common recorded mosses on Banj brdo were Brachytheciastrum velutinum and Hypnum cupressiforme. It is necessary to continue bryological research on Banj brdo, in order to get a more complete insight into bryophyte diversity in that area.