Episodic bryophytes in the diaspore bank of a Zimbabwean savanna
A minimum of two hornworts, ten hepatics and twenty two mosses emerged, often in large numbers, from superficial soil samples taken from the 'Matopos Sandveld Fire Plots' in the savanna of S. Zimbabwe. Many of the species found were hypothesized to take advantage of an episodic' strategy much like that described for Physcomitrium sphaericum in the UK. Perhaps because species that employ this strategy are so seldom present above ground, the assemblage contained several species new to Africa, or new to Zimbabwe, includ ing Micromitrium tenerum, as well as one recently described new taxon, Neophoenix matoposensis. Annual burning of the above ground vegetation did not appear to be harmful to the diaspores in the soil.