Buxbaumia novae-zelandiae
Common names
moss
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Current conservation status
This is the first complete assessment of all known species of mosses found in the wild in Aotearoa New Zealand with a total of 560 species being assessed. The conservation status of mosses, published in the NZTCS database, replaces all previous assessments of mosses. Data supporting the 2025 NZTCS assessment of mosses has been published on the NZTCS database at https://nztcs.org.nz/reports/1155.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2025 | At Risk – Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPR, DPS, DPT
Category
Non-vascular
Structural class
Mosses
Detailed description
Minute, colonial plants growing on a felted protonema on soil or rock. Leaves up to 0.6 mm long, red-brown, narrowly or broadly lanceolate, acute or obtuse, sometimes irregularly divided at the apex; margins bluntly toothed in upper half, without cilia. Cells most subrectangular, smooth, incrassate. Seta 10-25 mm long, red, smooth or slightly and finely papillose, glossy. Capsule 6-7 mm long, suberect, oval in outline, slightly flattened above, pale brown, smooth. Stomata superficial, often wanting, 2-celled. Outer peristome of more than one layer of cells. Operculum bluntly conical. Spores c.10 microns diameter.
Distribution
?Endemic. North Island (Atiamuri, Karakariki, Barryville, Bennydale, Te Kuiti, Pureora, Wairoa, Ngaroma, Mokau, Awakino, Tarawera); South Island (Seddonville, Grey Valley near Greymouth)
Substrate details
Terricolous or saxicolous on acidic rocks and soils derived from these, where it usually grows from amongst dead or dying liverworts. This species has been collected from coastal to montane forest and scrub.
Threats
Not Threatened. Although very easily overlooked indications are that this species is genuinely uncommon and biologicaly sparse
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None - though Buxbaumia colyerae Burges of New South Wales, Australia might be conspecific
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Fruiting
October - February (possibly longer)
Other information
Etymology
novae-zelandiae: Of New Zealand
Previous conservation statuses
This is the first complete assessment of all known species of mosses found in the wild in Aotearoa New Zealand with a total of 560 species being assessed. The conservation status of mosses, published in the NZTCS database, replaces all previous assessments of mosses. Data supporting the 2025 NZTCS assessment of mosses has been published on the NZTCS database at https://nztcs.org.nz/reports/1155.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2014 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: Sp
2010 | Not Threatened
2005 | Sparse | Qualifiers: SO?
Referencing and citations
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 30 September 2007.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Buxbaumia novae-zelandiae Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/buxbaumia-novae-zelandiae/ (Date website was queried)