Following Futschig’s death, the herbarium came into the possession of Kurt Kellner (1920–2002), who donated it to the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research in 1989. It is now arranged alphabetically by genus and species. Unfortunately, for financial reasons, it has not yet been possible to digitise and publish the entire collection.
These few examples illustrate the enormous significance of J. Futschig’s bryophyte collection for a forthcoming study of the bryophytes of Hesse.
Among the most remarkable specimens is Meesia triquetra (L. ex Jolycl.) Ångstr., described in 1844. It was first found in Hesse in 1854 and discovered by Geheeb in the Rotes Moor in the Rhön in 1870; it was found there for the second time by Josef A. Futschig in 1975, 105 years later.
According to the ‘Red List of Mosses in Hesse’ (2013), Meesia triquetra is now considered extinct in Hesse.
Fissidens arnoldii was described by R. Ruthe in 1879 and is one of the rarest species found along rivers. In Hesse, it has so far been found only twice: once on riverbank stones on the left bank of the Lahn near Bodensteinerlai, close to Villmar, growing on mass limestone and brick, discovered by J. Futschig in 1975.
In the ‘Red List of Mosses in Hesse’ (2013), Fissidens arnoldii is listed as extremely rare and threatened with extinction.
Anthoceros neesii Prosk. was first discovered in 1972 by J. Futschig in Hesse, in stubble fields near Usingen in the Taunus region; later, in 1980, it was also found near Gedern, Birstein, Fischborn and Herchenhausen in the lower-lying areas of the Vogelsberg.
This species is found worldwide at only 15 sites in Hesse and two sites in Styria, Austria.
In the ‘Red List of Mosses in Hesse’ (2013), Anthoceros neesii is listed as extremely rare and critically endangered.
These are two of the few specimens collected by Futschig that have so far been recorded in the Senckenberg database (SeSam).
Scapania cuspiduligera (Nees) Müll. Frib., is found in Germany mainly in the Alps and occurs only very sporadically in the low mountain ranges.
In Hesse, it was first discovered in 1969 by J. Futschig on the banks of the River Dill near Niederscheld, and later also by G. Schwab.
In the ‘Red List of Mosses in Hesse’ (2013), Scapania cuspiduligera is listed as extremely rare and threatened with extinction.
Pohlia sphagnicola (Bruch & Schimp.) Broth. was first discovered in 1969 by J. Futschig in the ‘Rotes Moor’ in the Rhön. Düll was able to find it in Hesse as recently as 1994, but no further records have been reported since then.
According to the ‘Red List of Mosses in Hesse’ (2013), Pohlia sphagnicola is now considered extinct in Hesse.
