Lejeunea hawaikiana
Common name
Liverwort
Synonyms
Stenolejeunea acuminata R.M.Schust.
Family
Lejeuneaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Liverworts
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp, ?SO
Previous conservation status
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Distribution
Indigenous. Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands (Rarotonga). In New Zealand recorded from the Kermadec islands (Raoul Island), North Island (Te Paki (Radar Bush, North Cape), Karikari Peninsula, Hihi (near Mangonui), at Maunganui Bluff) and on Chatham Island (see Renner & de Lange 2011)
Habitat
On bark or rock (usually basalt). Favouring smaller trees such as Coprosma grandifolia, Geniostoma ligustrifolium var. ligustrifolium and Melicytus chathamicus.
Detailed description
Plants light, opaque green, tightly adnate to substrate, leafy shoots up to 675-725 µm broad, freely, irregularly ramified, the leading axes usually gynoecial, the branches commonly soon androecial otherwise usually gynoecial; innovations beneath unfertilised or fertilised gynoecia always developed, at least normally Lejeunea-type. Stem slender c.50 µm diameter; cortical cells in 7 rows, somewhat but not greatly firm-walled, surrounding c.4 medullary cell rows of somewhat inferior size. Leaves contiguous to weakly imbricate, ovate-lanceolate, c.250-275 x 500-550 µm, at most feebly convex, the short-acuminate apices often a little deflexed, entire-margined, smooth (marginal cells not or hardly projecting as crenulations), the acuminate apices ending in mostly 3-4 superposed single cells which are subisodiametric or weakly elongated (1: 1-8). Lobules ovoid, strongly inflated except in and near apical tooth, about 0.3 length of lobe, with a blunt 1-celled apical tooth, the fine hyaline papilla at antical base. Underleaves small, c.115-135 x 135-175 µm long. c.0.6-0.7 bifid via a U-shaped sinus, divided to within 2-3 cells of rhizoid-initial region; lobes narrow, often their acuminate apices arched toward each other, 3-4 cells broad at base and long-tapered into a uniseriate apex formed of mostly 2 superposed cells. Rhizoid-initial region prominent, mostly formed of c.12-16 cells giving rise to conspicuous rhizoid-initial discs, the plants closely adherent. Cells in 2-3 marginal rows rather firm-walled and with obscure trigones and weak, isolated intermediate thickenings; laminar cells becoming clearly larger, 23-26 x 24-28 µm, 5-6-angled, weakly or hardly firm-walled but with rather large, ± convex-sided but not nodular trigones, + isolated, scattered intermediate thickenings. Oil bodies in 1-2 marginal rows lacking, in third row vestigial or small; laminar cells with mostly 4-8 variable usually fusiform oil-bodies varying from transversely few-septate to botryoidal to granular-botryoidal, the larger 4.5-5.5 x 15.0-17.5 µm. Autoecious. Androecia forming short lateral branches lacking sterile leaves, mostly spicate, compactly so, with c.4-8 or more closely imbricate, inflated pairs of bracts, their arched keels ± inflated cells; bracts diandrous; bracteoles 1-2 at androecium base. Gynoecia on short to lateral branches (gynoecia at apices of leading shoots rare; apical dominant normal); always innovating, innovations single, usually remaining sterile but ± elongating; at times innovations producing 1-2 male and/or female branches. Female bracts in 1 pair, sheathing basal 0.45-0.55 or perianth; bracts with lobes ovate to obovate-lanceolate, acute to longly acute at apex, edentate or with 1-4 variable, obtuse to obscure teeth; lobule lanceolate to narrowly obovate, acute to apiculate, often with a tooth of inner margin, the distal third or more free, the keel short to long, unwinged. Bracteole free, variably obovate to ovate, 0.4-0.6 bifid, sinus V- to narrowly U-shaped, lobes erect and acute, often with 1(-2) teeth of one or both margins. Perianth obovate, a little complanate, the lateral keels more pronounced, the ventral shorter, often weak and abbreviated; perianth keels smooth; perianth apex truncate, the long beak sometimes a little recessed.
Similar taxa
Lejeunea hawaikiana is easily distinguished from other Lejeunea in New Zealand by the light, opaque green colour (sometimes almost white), and compact growth habit with the plants tightly attached to the substrate, and especially by the contiguous to weakly imbricate, ovate-lanceolate leaves with slightly deflexed short-acuminate apices. Plants are nearly always found bearing perianths.
Fruiting
Fruiting material is frequently seen throughout the year
Threats
Once regarded as highly threatened Lejeunea hawaikiana has proved to be more overlooked than it is threatened. In suitable habitats it is often abundant. However, to date it is still only known from a handful of sites suggesting that it is probably Naturally Uncommon.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (12 February 2008). Description based on Schuster (2000).
References and further reading
Renner, M.A.M.; de Lange, P.J. 2011. Additions to the Lejeuneaceae Flora of New Zealand: New Species from the Kermadec Islands and Range Extensions of New Zealand species into the South Pacific. New Zealand Journal of Botany 49: 421–433.
Schuster, R.M. 2000: Studies on Lejeuneaceae, III. Revisionary studies on Stenolejeunea Schust. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 89: 151-171.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Lejeunea hawaikiana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lejeunea-hawaikiana/ (Date website was queried)