Introduction
Botanists from Real Jardín Botánico of Madrid, Missouri Botanical Garden and University of Murcia carried out an expedition to Ecuador in July and August of 2006. The briological team was composed by María J. Cano, M. Teresa Gallego, Juan Guerra and Juan A. Jiménez (University of Murcia), and it was funded by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science through the projects “Taxonomic revision of the genus Hennediella, Syntrichia and Tortula (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) in South America” (CGL2004-00788) and “Flora Briofítica Ibérica” (REN2003-00766). This exploration was carried out thanks to the cooperation of National University of Loja. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of Danilo Minga (University of Azuay, Cuenca), Susana León (Catholic University of Quito) and Luis A. Gutiérrez (National University of Loja). About 600 specimens of bryophytes were collected, keeping primarily at MUB with duplicates at LOJA, and MO.