koheesiota

Koheesiota is a fictional genus of mosses created for a hypothetical scenario illustrating island biogeography. It is described as having a single species, Koheesiota insularis.

Taxonomy and discovery: In this scenario, Koheesiota is placed in the family Hypnaceae. The species Koheesiota insularis is said to have been described by L. Avery and M. Chen in 2023, based on specimens collected on the isolated Koheesia Archipelago.

Description: Koheesiota insularis forms a low, tufted mat up to about 3 cm tall. Leaves are linear-lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm long, with a typically acute apex and narrowly recurved margins. The costa is narrow and excurrent. Sporophytes are rare, and the plant reproduces mainly through vegetative structures such as gemmae in this fictional account.

Habitat and distribution: The species is depicted as endemic to shaded, damp rock faces and mossy ledges on the Koheesia Archipelago, with a distribution from sea level to roughly 300 meters elevation. It favors limestone-rich substrates and regions with persistent humidity.

Etymology and status: The genus name Koheesiota draws from the fictional Koheesia Archipelago, and the specific epithet insularis denotes its insular distribution. As a hypothetical taxon, there is no formal conservation assessment outside this scenario.

Significance: The entry is used to illustrate how island isolation can influence moss morphology and diversification, and to discuss island biogeography, endemism, and the hypothetical challenges of conserving organisms with restricted, fictional distributions. See also Hypnaceae, island biogeography, moss.