الفهرس 
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Abstract
Summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate herbarium moss samples collected from 5 wadis in Saint Catherine protected area as well as to collect new ones and to study distribution, occurrence, purity, association and reproductive structures of the species. To achieve this aim, 191 moss samples (314 specimens) have been studied.This work includes:Diagnostic descriptions of orders, families, genera and species recorded in the study area.
Identification keys for orders, genera and species of each genus in the study area.
Photographs of all organs and structures of all species.
States of major leaf characters and their bearings on relations of the studied flora with floras of other regions.Study of distribution, occurrence, purity, association and reproductive structures of species recorded in the study area.
Comparison between moss species of the study area with those of other territories in Egypt, neighboring countries and the world.
The investigation of bryoflora in the study area revealed the following:
The studied samples included 43 moss species in 17 genera, six families and six orders.
The largest genus was Bryum; represented by 11 species.
Anoectangium is not represented in any Egyptain territory being a new record to the country.
Half the number of species of Gymnostomum, Gyroweisia, Syntrichia and Ptychostomum recorded in Egypt are represented in the study area.
Six of the studied species; namely, Eucladium verticillatum, Didymodon tophaceus, D. vinealis, Bryum radiculosum, B. turbinatum and Ptychostomum archangelicum were widely distributed (occur in 4 out of the 5 studied wadis). While 17 species were restricted to one wadi each.
The most frequent species were Eucladium verticillatum, Didymodon tophaceus, and Bryum radiculosum represented by 55, 26 and 23 specimens respectively.
The number of species recoded in spring was 36, in summer 16 and in winter 15 species. So, variation of species was highest in spring (April). ,Eighteen species were found in only mixed samples (100% mixed), 4 species were found in entirely pure samples (100% pure).
Fruiting species represent 23% (10 out of the 43 recorded species).
The female reproductive organ (archegonium) was the most frequent organ in the study area as it was found in 21 species.
The male reproductive organ (antheridium) was found in only 12 species.
Vegetative reproductive organs in mosses of the study area were: 1) Bulbils, 2) Basal laminal gemmae, 3) Rhizoidal protonema, 4) Rhizoidal gemmae and 5) Axillary sterile hairs.
Axillary sterile hairs were the most dominant vegetative reproductive structures in the study area then rhizoidal gemmae, they were found in 20 and 10 species respectively.
Spring (April) was the richest season in the number of recorded species (36 species), also in the number of recorded sexual and asexual structures.
Association was significant on species level and also on genus level; Eucladium verticillatum and Didymodon tophaceus were associated with each other seven times, the association relationship between Bryum and Didymodon (23 times) was the most significant association on genus level.
The highest number of moss species (in phytogeographic territories of Egypt) in common with the study area is 14 species in Nile Delta (Nd), while, Nile Nubia (Nn) has the least number of species in common (4 species).
The 43 species reported from the study area (Abou-Salama, 1985 and the present work) are all old records to As 5 to which the study area belongs.
Eur, Afr 1, Am 1 and As 1 are the phytogeographical regions having the largest number of moss species in common with the study area, being 42, 39,31 and 26 species in common respectively.The countries most similar in moss floras to the study area in descending order are; Spain (Eur) 40 species, Sicily (Eur) 39, Greece (Eur) 38, Algeria (Afr1) 38, Turkey (As5) 37, Morocco (Afr1) 36, Canary Islands (Afr1) 34 species.
The present study added to our knowledge the following:
Thirty two species (26 fully identified and 6 to only generic level) as new records to the study area bringing the total number of mosses known from it to 58 species.
Fourteen species (8 fully identified and 6 to only generic level) as new records to Southern Sinai bringing the total number of mosses known from it to 96 species.
Ten species (4 fully identified and 6 to only generic level) as new records to Egypt bringing the total number of mosses known from the country to 18