Eucamptodon muelleri
Common name
Moss
Family
Dicnemonaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Mosses
Current conservation status
- Conservation status of New Zealand mosses, 2014 (PDF, 583.87 kB)
The conservation status of 109 New Zealand moss taxa was assessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). Four taxa and one undescribed entity that were not included in previous assessments have been added to the list. The conservation status of only two taxa has changed in this assessment. A full list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for mosses. Authors: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Allan J. Fife, Jessica E. Beever, Patrick J. Brownsey and Rodney A. Hitchmough.
- Conservation status of New Zealand hornworts and liverworts, 2014 (PDF, 695.44 kB)
The conservation status of the New Zealand hornwort and liverwort flora is reassessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). A full list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for New Zealand hornworts and liverworts which previously had been part of a generic bryophyte conservation status assessment that included mosses. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, David Glenny, John Braggins, Matt Renner, Matt von Konrat, John Engel, Catherine Reeb and Jeremy Rolfe.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2009 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: OL, SO
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: Kermadec (Raoul Island) only. Also Australia, Norfolk Island and New Caledonia. As this species is known in Australia to range along the eastern side of that country to as far south as Victoria it should occur elsewhere in New Zealand proper.
Habitat
Corticolous - a moss of the high forest canopy of Raoul Island. Gatherings have been made from both ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ forest types, and mostly from material strewn on the forest floor after big storms. The preferred host tree seems to be Kermadec pohutukawa (Metrosideros kermadecensis), and most gatherings have been made in association with the large foliose lichen Pseudocyphellaria argyracea
Detailed description
Corticolous, medium-sized, densely clustered, glossy, pale to medium green, drying pale grey-green or brownish with straw-like texture; stems red-brown, thin, creeping, to 50 mm long; branches erect, robust, dense, to 15 mm long; apex tight with a conical appearance. Branch leaves whorled, imbricate to slightly spreading to patent when dry, spreading at 45 degrees when moist, 1.5-1.7 × 0.56-0.92 mm, ovate to lanceolate, concave, acute. ecostate; base cordate; margin incurved near apex, entire. Laminal cells thick-walled, lacking papillae, rhomboidal to linear-rhomboidal; apical cells variable, c.24-34 × 8 µm; medial cells sigmoid, 32-50 × 6-8 µm, unbordered; alar cells conspicuous, orange in a basal band, 5-8 cells high; cells variable, ± quadrate, c.20 µm wide, more rectangular at margin, thick-walled; basal cells between alar cells rectangular, c. 50 × 6 µm, ± porose and sinuose, yellow-brown across base. Stem leaves sparse, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 0.48-0.88 × 0.21-0.49 mm,; alar cells not as well developed; laminal cells narrower, ± sigmoid. Rhizoids sparse but conspicuous on lower stems, wiry, reddish, smooth, to 3 mm long, c.20 µm wide; branches short; cells to 90 µm long. Dioicous. Male plants perennial, either dwarf or large. Perigonial leaves narrowly ovate-lanceolate. Perichaetial leaves long-linear to oblong-lanceolate, c. 10.0 × 1.2 mm, obtuse to acute, ecostate; 2-4 conspicuously long perichaetial leaves at base of capsule sheathing seta, remainder shorter; base straight; margin entire; laminal cells linear, thick-walled; upper cells c.40 × 8 µm, slightly sigmoid; medial cells similar, less sigmoid; basal cells c.100-160 µm long, porose, yellow-orange across base. Calyptra 4.0-4.5 mm long, cucullate, yellow to pale red-brown, smooth. Seta 5-12 mm long, terminal, reddish. Capsule 3.0 × 0.6 mm, solitary, red, erect or suberect (cylindrical or asymmetrical, respectively), smooth. Operculum to 1.6 mm long, slender, obliquely rostrate. Peristome single, reddish; teeth 16, 280-550 × 120 µm, broadly lanceolate, inserted below capsule mouth on short basal membrane, densely papillose on both sides; cells horizontally rectangular; medial lines straight. Spores large, 100-190 µm.
Fruiting
Fruiting material has been found in May gatherings
Threats
Known in the New Zealand Botanical Region (see de Lange & Rolfe 2010) only from Raoul Island where three chance gatherings were made from fallen canopy branches in 2009 and 2010. Indications are that this species is probably locally common on Raoul however, until a proper survey is undertaken it seems wise to treat this species as Data Deficient.
Etymology
muelleri: Named after Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, 19th century German/Australian botanist and founder of the National Herbarium of Victoria
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (23 November 2011). Description adapted from Streimann (2002)
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R. 2010: New Zealand Indigenous Vascular Plant Checklist. Wellington, New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. 164pp.
Streimann, H. 2002: The mosses of Norfolk Island. Flora of Australia Supplementary Series No. 16. Australian Biological Resources Library, Panther Printnet, Canberra. 178Pp.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Eucamptodon muelleri Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/eucamptodon-muelleri/ (Date website was queried)