Bryophytes (Bryophyta and Marchantiophyta) of the canga of the Serra dos Carajás, Pará, Brazil

Abstract The Botanical studies in Serra dos Carajás initiated in the late 60’s. Thereafter, several papers on floristics, ecology and phytogeography were published, which resulted in many discoveries about the local flora, culminating in the production of the flora of the canga of the Serra dos Carajás. This work aims to present the richness of the bryophytes studied during the Flora of the canga of the Serra dos Carajás, Pará, Brazil. The studied material included new collections from 2015 to 2017 and specimens deposited in Herbarium MG. The canga presented a high bryophyte richness (54 mosses and 35 liverworts) and the composition was the expected for rupestrian areas in Amazonia. The high richness of shade specialists has shown that the few trees in the canga as well as the small areas of low forests forming vegetation islands or even specific niches such as cracks and base of rocks or spaces under rocks, serve as refuge for these species. The study of the bryophytes in the Serra dos Carajás made it possible to discover 51 new records for the canga of Carajás, seven for Pará, three for the North Brazilian region, and one for Brazil.