Austrolycopodium fastigiatum
Common names
alpine clubmoss, mountain clubmoss
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lycophytes (clubmosses, selaginella, quillworts)
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Rhizome mostly buried, creeping, bearing scattered, appressed scale-leave. Aerial branches erect (occasionally prostrate with branchlets upturned), rigid 30–400 mm tall, much-branched. Leaves spirally arranged, imbricate, decurrent, 3–5 × 0.6-1.0 mm, linear to linear-lanceolate, incurved, green, yellow-green or orange (especially when in exposed situations). Strobili erect, terminal, projecting above the foliage, 20–70–(100) mm long, 1–3 aggregated on a common peduncle with widely scattered appressed scale leaves. Sporophylls imbricate, peltate, lanceolate, pale to dark brown or somewhat orange, with paler membranous margins. (Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000)).
Similar taxa
A very distinctive species that is likely to be confused only with Pseudolycopodium densum which is a more northerly occurring species inhabiting lower elevations and which differs from Austrolycopodium fastigiatum by the leaves of fertile aerial stems being tightly appressed, and by the sessile (i.e. without stalks) strobili.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island (from Te Moehau and Mt Pirongia south), South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Antipodes Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku, and Auckland Islands. Also Australia.
Habitat
Coastal to alpine (in northern part of North Island range strictly montane) in frost flats, subalpine and geothermal scrub, alpine herbfield, grassland and peat bogs.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Lycopodium fastigiatum R.Br.; Lycopodium clavatum var. fastigiatum (R.Br.) Benth.; Lycopodium curvifolium Colenso; Lycopodium decurrens Colenso; Lycopodium scopulosum Colenso; Austrolycopodium fastigiatum (R.Br.) Holub; Lycopodium arcitenentis Herter; Lycopodium cochinchense Herter ex Nessel
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
N.A.
Fruiting
N.A.
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Etymology
fastigiatum: Fastigiate; from the Latin fastigium; branches lying close together, parallel and erect
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.
LYCFAS
Chromosome number
2n = 60
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: TL
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Smith-Dodsworth JC. 2000. New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David Bateman, Auckland, NZ. 168 p.
Chinnock RJ. 1998. Lycopodiaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 66–85. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 20 March 2011. Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Austrolycopodium fastigiatum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/austrolycopodium-fastigiatum/ (Date website was queried)