Brownseya serpentina
Common names
bog clubmoss
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lycophytes (clubmosses, selaginella, quillworts)
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Yellow-green to green, prostrate, shortly creeping clubmoss, forming diffuse patches to compact turf depending on local habitat conditions. Roots stout, peg-like, white. Main stems 20–200 mm long forking, rooting at intervals. Aerial stems unbranched, 30–60 mm long, invariably surmounted by fertile cones. Sterile leaves spirally arranged, 0.4–0.6 mm long, linear, appressed, loosely imbricating on prostrate stems, spreading on aerial stems. Cones up to 30 mm long, solitary and terminal, erect, sessile, green when immature, turning yellow-green on maturity.
Similar taxa
This species could be confused with nutrient-starved forms of Lateristachys lateralis which commonly grows in association with Brownseya serpentina. From Brownseya, Lateristachys lateralis differs by the non-stalked (or shortly so) cones borne on sides of the erect stems.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand; North Island (formerly known from Kaimaumau and Motutangi Swamps and the Karikari Peninsula in the far north, and from Opuatia, Rukuhia, Komakorau and Moanatuatua peat bogs in Waikato; now known only from Ahipara and the Karikari Peninsula in Northland (it may still survive in Kaimaumau) and the Whangamarino wetlands and Kopouatai Peat Bog in Waikato). Australia (extremely uncommon, the best populations known are now found in Tasmania). New Caledonia (possibly extinct).
Habitat
A coastal or lowland species. It is confined to naturally open nutrient starved, permanently damp ground or sites recently cleared by fire. It is intolerant of competition from taller plants. In New Zealand Brownseya serpentina is usually found in restiad-dominated peat bogs where it grows in open situations amongst mosses and liverworts. It has also been collected from water saturated clay within gum land at Ahipara.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, RR, TO
Threats
Wetland drainage, stock trampling, fertiliser run-off from adjacent farmland, and vegetation succession on the less acidic Whangamarino are significant threats. The species is also a frequent target of fern collectors.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Pseudolycopodiella serpentina (Kunze in Lehm.) Holub; Lycopodium serpentinum Kunze, L. drummondii Spring, Lycopodium carolinianum Hook.f., Lycopodiella serpentina (Kunze) B.Øllg.
Taxonomic notes
Brownseya, currently a monotypic Australasian (Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand) genus was erected by Chen et al. (2021) to accommodate this morphologically aberrhant clubmoss, the basis for the decision, has a firm basis in molecular as well as morphological evidence, and is followed here.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Cones can be present throughout the year but they are more commonly seen between August and May.
Fruiting
Cones can be present throughout the year but they are more commonly seen between August and May
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]
OBL: Obligate Wetland
Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for December 2023 for the full story.
Etymology
brownseya: Honouring Dr. Patrick J. Brownsey (1948–) based at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand, for his floristic and taxonomic study of pteridophytes of New Zealand and neighboring regions
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.
LYCSER
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DP, RR, TO
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, RR, TO
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: PD, RR, TO
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable
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.
Chen D-K, Zhou X-M, Rothfels CJ, Shepherd LD, Knapp R, Zhang L, Lu NT, Fan X-P, Wan X, Gao X-F, He H, Zhang L-B. 2021. A global phylogeny of the Lycopodiaceae (Lycopodiales; lycophytes) with the description of a new genus, Brownseya, from Oceania. Taxon 71(1): 25–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12597.
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 December 2003. 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): Brownseya serpentina Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/brownseya-serpentina/ (Date website was queried)