The earliest recognition of Racomitrium albipiliferum (Musci, Grimmiaceae)

It is shown that Racomitrium albipiliferum Gao & Cao, a narrow Himalayan endemic which was only recently described from Xizang, China, had been first recognized as a separate species under the epithet 'pilosissimum' as early as 1909 by V.F. Brotherus, but it was a typical herbarium name which has never been validly published. The original collection of this undescribed species is illustrated and briefly discussed. (C) ADAC/Elsevier, Paris.