Lepidozia fugax
Common name
Liverwort
Synonyms
None (first described in 2001)
Family
Lepidoziaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Liverworts
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
LEPFUG
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
Distribution
Endemic. North Island (near Whakamaru), South Island (Haast Pass, Mt Aspiring National Park)
Detailed description
Plants forming diffuse, prostrate patches on decorticated wood, branches stiff and wiry, spreading green to greenish-yellow, shoots to 12 mm wide. Branching of Frullania-type, short to rather long, irregularly 1-2-pinnate, primary and secondary branches often whip-like; branch half-leaf subsymmetrical, basal portion rounded to subcordate, 2-lobed to third of base; first branch underleaf 2-3-lobed inserted on ventral side of branch base to the ventral-lateral side of junction of main axis and branch. Ventral-intercalary branching occasional, leafy. Leaves fragile, easily detached, concave when dry, dorsal lobes stiffly spreading, apices of ventral lobes incurved, not visible in dorsal view; leaves when moist usually of ragged appearance, weakly concave, contiguous to imbricate, stem usually visible in dorsal view, 0.3-0.5 mm wide and long, spreading, insertion incubous, lamina variable in shape, subsymmetric to somewhat asymmetric, subequally to unequally 4-5-lobed, leaves divided to 0.3-0.5. Lobes acuminate, tips caducous, lobes becoming slender and 2 cells wide for most of length, terminating in a uniseriate row, turgid, barrel-shaped, septa constricted, terminal cell rounded at apex. Disc moderately to distinctly asymmetric 9-13 cells high at dorsal sinus, 6-7 cells high at ventral sinus, dorsal margin ampliate, cordate at insertion, otherwise entire to sinuate; ventral margin subcordate at insertion, entire or with a single tooth. Underleaves inserted on 7 rows of stem cells, strongly spreading c.1.5-2x stem width, broader than high, symmetrically 4-fid to 0.3-0.5 (median sinus), lobes slender, acuminate, tips caducous, terminating in a single cell or a uniseriate row of 2-3 cells; disc 5-7 cells high at median sinus, margins plane, entire. Asexually reproducing by caducous tips of leaf lobes. Plants dioecious. Androecia inconspicuous, on short, determinate, spicate, ventral-intercalary branches. Gynoecia on abbreviated ventral-intercalary branches issuing from main stem. Perianth long and prominent, slender, cylindrical-fusiform, weakly curved, terete below, slightly trigonous above, distinctly and deeply 3-plicate toward mouth, perianth gradually narrowing toward the strongly contracted, weakly 3-lobed crenate-denticulate mouth; mouth cells thick, papillose, apical ends laterally free for varying lengths. Seta with 8 rows of outer cells surrounding an inner core of numerous, smaller cells. Capsule oblong, wall 26-30 microns thick, of 3 layers. Spores 12.4-13.0 microns diameter, wall brown bearing coarse, sharply defined, papillae and short-vermiculate markings. Elaters rigid, 8.6-9.1 microns wide, slightly, gradually tapering towards the bispiral tips, spirals 3.4-3.8 microns wide.
Fruiting
fruiting periods as yet unknown
Threats
Probably more overlooked than actually threatened. This species was described in 2001 and is so far known from very few gatherings. Nevertheless the disjunction between the western South Island and Central North Island suggests it is probably a Naturally Uncommon, sparsely distribution species with specific habitat requirements.
Substrate
Decorticated wood - mostly recorded from Nothofagaceae but also Podocarpus totara
Etymology
fugax: From the Latin fugax ‘fleeting, transitory, ephemeral’
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 fugax Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lepidozia-fugax/ (Date website was queried)