Lepidozia acantha
Common name
Liverwort
Synonyms
None
Family
Lepidoziaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Structural class
Liverworts
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 | Sparse | Qualifiers: DP
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Island. Mostly found around Rotorua.
Detailed description
Procumbent, slender, flexuous plants forming thin mats. Branches spreading, pale green, nitid, finely spinescent when dry, shoots small to medium, to 10 mm wide. Branching of Frullania type, somewhat pinnate, branches slender, short to elongated, whip-like, long-flagelliform and microphyllous; secondary branches absent; branch 1/2-leaf symmetric, linear, bilobed to 0.5; first branch underleaf undivided, subulate, rarely bilobed, inserted on ventral or ventral-lateral face of main axis and aligned with branch underleaves. Ventral-intercalary branches sporadic, leafy. Leaves when dry strongly spreading, plane or slightly concave, contiguous to distant, stem mostly exposed in dorsal aspect, 0.45-0.65 x 0.5-0.65 mm at longest and widest points, the insertion distinctly incubous; leaves ± symmetric, deeply and subequally 4-lobed, divided to c.0.5-0.6 (median sinus), the distance from dorsal sinus base to insertion slightly greater than that from ventral sinus to insertion. Lobes long and narrowly attenuate, subequally divergent, dorsal lobe 5-7 cells wide at the base, ventral lobes similar to dorsal in size, the lobes terminating in a single cell or more commonly in a uniseriate row of 2-4 cells; cells of uniseriate row somewhat elongated (up to 2.5:1), evenly thick-walled; surface of lobes closely and distinctly short striate-papillose. Disc subsymmetric, subdeltoid, 8-10 cells high at dorsal sinus, 5-8 cells high at ventral sinus, margins entire, dorsal margin straight (at most feebly ampliate), the ventral straight. Cells of disc-middle moderately and evenly thick-walled, subquadrate to longitudinally elongated 18-23 x 27-41 micrometre; median basal cells larger, in one to several rows; surface of disc closely striate-papillose, becoming long-striate at disc base. Underleaves inserted on 5-7 rows of stem cells, rather large for plant size, c. 1-1.5x stem width, plane, spreading, symmetrically quadrifid to c.0.5-0.6, the lobes long and slenderly attenuate, ending in a single cell or more often a uniseriate row of 2-3 cells, the cells of uniseriate row quadrate to elongated; disc 4-6 cells at high median sinus; disc margins entire. Androecia and gynoecia unknown.
Fruiting
Unknown
Threats
Probably not threatened but mor elikely overlooked - thsi species is one of several superficially similar microphyllous Lepidozia that are not easily recognised in the field. Current records suggest that it will probably in time prove to be widespread but still in all probability biologically sparse
Substrate
Most gatherings come from geothermal sites and pumice country where L. acantha forms carpets under kahikatoa (Leptospermum scoparium) scrub. Also found on decorticated, rotten bryophyte-covered log in lowland coastal forest near Pakiri, and in montane mixed Podocarp-broadleaf forest in Westland.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (5 October 2007). Description adapted from Engel & Schuster (2001)
References and further reading
Engel, J.J.; Schuster, R.M. 2001: Austral Hepaticae. 32. A revision of the genus Lepidozia (Hepaticae) for New Zealand. Fieldiana, Botany 42: 1-107.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Lepidozia acantha Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lepidozia-acantha/ (Date website was queried)