Diphasium scariosum
Common names
creeping clubmoss
Synonyms
Lycopodium scariosum G.Forst.; Lycopodium scariosum var. decurrens (R.Br.) Hook.; Lycopodium distans Colenso; Lycopodium lessonianum A.Rich.; Stachygynandrum scariosum (G.Forst.) P.Beauv.; Diphasium decurrens (R.Br.) Holub; Lycopodium decurrens R.Br.
Family
Lycopodiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lycophytes (clubmosses, selaginella, quillworts)
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.
LYCSCA
Chromosome number
2n = 60
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. 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
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island (from near Mangamuka south but scarce in Northland), South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku. Also Australia, Philipines, Borneo and New Guinea.
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine (mostly montane in the northern North island). A species of open habitats such as mossy roadside banks, stream banks, shrubland, and peaty ground (rarely restiad bog).
Detailed description
Main stems prostrate, creeping to 1 m or more long, with scattered appressed scale-like leaves. Branchlets spreading to ascending (up to 0.5 m tall), dorsiventral, much-branched. Sterile leaves dimorphic, yellowish-green; upper leaves in 2 alternating rows flattened in 1 plane, firm to rigid, decurrent, 3–5 mm long × 1.0–1.5 mm wide ovate to lanceolate often falcate; leaves of undersurface in 2 rows, up to 0.2 mm long, scale-like, with translucent membranous obtuse usually dilated tips. Strobili erect, terminal, 10-50 mm long, orange-brown, mostly solitary, rarely paired. Sporophylls imbricate, subpeltate, ovate-saggitate, stramineous, with translucent membranous tips. (Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000)).
Similar taxa
The yellow-green colour, flattened leaves and mostly solitary, stalked strobili serve to distinguish this species from all other representatives of the family in New Zealand. Diphasium scariosum is perhaps most similar to reduced states of Pseudodiphasium volubile from which it differs by the smaller stem and branch leaves being confined to the lower surface of stems and by the erect, solitary (rarely paired) rather than clustered and pendulous strobili.
Flowering
N.A.
Flower colours
No flowers
Fruiting
N.A.
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Etymology
scariosum: Thin a dry; from the Latin scariosus; general appearance
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 20 March 2011. Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Diphasium scariosum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/diphasium-scariosum/ (Date website was queried)