Review of the bryofloristic connections of New Guinea Island

evident in hepatics than in mosses, in which a pantropical element is more prominent. Vertical distribution also has clear connection with ranges, e.g. endemism is high at 1500–3000 m, disjunct boreal, temperate, and bipolar taxa occur at the highest altitudes, and pantropical or widely distributed taxa at the lowest altitudes. A preliminary attempt is made to compare the limits of vegetation zones in New Guinea and in Hunan Province of China, based on the vertical distribution of bryophyte species. Material and Methods Our studies on Western Melanesian bryoflora began in 1981 when D. H. Norris and T. Koponen made several field excursions in New Guinea in order to collect bryophytes. The original idea was to publish a list of the collections from the Huon Peninsula area but the target gradually changed toward a complete flora of Western Melanesia. W