This updated checklist of the bryophytes of Madagascar was compiled from the literature, herbarium and recent collections. A total of 1144 species and infraspecific taxa are recorded for Madagascar composed of 751 mosses, 390 liverworts and 3 hornworts. 28.67% of the species reported for the Island are endemics. Twenty-four taxa are newly recorded for Madagascar and two of them, Fissidens cyathaeicola Brugg.Nann. and Taxithelium nepalense (Schwägr.) Broth. are reported for the first time for the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

The type material of Jungermannia obscura Sw., collected by Olof Swartz in Jamaica between 1783 and 1786, is a mixture of three common tropical species of Frullania: F. arecae (Spreng.) Gottsche, F. gibbosa Nees and F. riojaneirensis (Raddi) Aongstr. The material of F. arecae fits the protologue best and is therefore chosen as the lectotype of J. obscura Sw. As a consequence, the name Frullania arecae (Spreng.) Gottsche is replaced by the older name Frullania obscura (Sw.) Dumort.

During the study of the genus Kiaeria for Flora Briofítica Ibérica project, 2 specimens corresponding to K. blyttii were identified; this species has never been reported from Spain. The remaining samples corresponded to K. starkei. Kiaeria falcata is rejected from the Spanish checklist since all the records were erroneous or unidentifiable. The lectotype for K. blyttii has been designated. Diagnostic characters, summarized in a table, illustrations and the distribution of the Spanish Kiaeria species are given.

Anthoceros caucasicus, Conardia compacta, Didymodon icmadophilus, Pohlia obtusifolia and Zygodon gracilis are reported for the first time from Turkey, and two of them from Southwest Asia (C. compacta, P. obtusifolia). Additionally, Diphyscium foliosum and Oligotrichum hercynicum are re-discovered in the eastern Black Sea area after long time from their first collections.

A taxonomic study of critical plants belonging to the ecostate Andreaea from Madeira Island is presented. A new taxon, Andreaea flexuosa R. Brown bis subsp. luisieri Sérgio et Sim-Sim, is proposed based on material from upland areas in the central ridge of Madeira. Characters discriminating the two subspecies are presented and illustrated; data on ecology and distribution of the two subspecies are discussed.

A new genus of liverwort in the family Lophocoleaceae is described and illustrated. The genus Octoscyphus presents a suite of original characters for this family. It is placed in the subfamily Lophocoleoideae. It has, in particular, a unique feature among leafy liverworts: The leaves have a very broad foliar base forming a longitudinally inserted pocket. The feature involves several characters. This genus is represented by a single species, Otoscyphus crassicaulis comb, nov., from New Caledonia. The species is montane and occurs on the dead, rotted wood.

Drepanolejeunea laciniata Qiong He et R.L. Zhu sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Doi Inthanon National Park, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. It is similar to Drepanolejeunea pulla (Mitt.) Grolle and D. erecta (Steph.) Grolle, but differs mainly in its large leaf lobule that is 1/2–2/3 as long as the leaf lobe, the free lateral lobular margin proximal to the notch bordered by 9–13 rectangular cells, the obovate perianth with dense apical laciniae, and usual presence of median ocelli in the leaf lobe.

Understanding of male dwarfism in mosses is reviewed with special reference to the genus Dicranum. Dwarf males occur in about 20% of Dicranum species. Most species seem to be obligately nannadrous; in two species (D. bonjeanii, D. scoparium) male plant size may be normal or dwarfed. Variation in male plant size in Dicranum seems to be environmentally controlled. Male dwarfism in mosses is induced by genetic or environmental factors although the mechanisms leading to male dwarfism are poorly understood. Evidence suggests that male dwarfism increases reproductive success in dioicous species but many questions remain unanswered.