Macromitrium brevicaule
Common names
moss
Biostatus
Native
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 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: RR, SO
Category
Non-vascular
Structural class
Mosses
Detailed description
Autoicous, corticolous or saxicolous creeping moss forming dense mats coloured yellow-brown or greenish brown above, darker below. Branches very short, up to 5 mm long, crowded, very densely foliate, simple or fastigiately branched. Leaves c.2 mm long, rather fragile, crowded, closely spirally enrolled round the stem when dry; spreading when moist; lamina broadly oblong or ligulate, obtuse or subobtuse, mostly stoutly apiculate; margins plane and entire; nerves robust, projecting dorsally, usually excurrent as a very short stout apiculus. Upper cells 7-10 microns, subquadrate, chlorophyllose, lowly papillose, thin-walled; lower cells shortly rectangular or oval, pellucid and colourless, smooth, incrassate with the marginal cells occasionally narrowed and elongated. Perichaetial bracts not differentiated. Seta 2-3 mm long. Capsule c.1.5 mm long, ovate, narrowed at the mouth, indistinctly plicate. Peristome teeth 16, short, pale, papillose above and finely striolate below. Operculum with an erect subulate beak. Calyptra smooth, plicate, finely lobed at the base, yellow with a reddish-brown apex. Male inflorescences at the terminus of short branchlets
Distribution
Indigenous. Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand known from the Kermadec Islands (Raoul Island), northern North Island and adjacent offshore islands (mostly easterly from Te Paki to Hauturu (Clark Island) near Whangamata, and with two westerly records from Maungaraho Rock (near Tokatoka on the Wairoa River) and from Te Rokotai (South Head, Kaipara)) and Chatham Islands (Rekohu only).
Substrate details
Corticolous and saxicolous within coastal forest
Threats
Not Threatened. However, this species is very uncommon in the New Zealand part of its range. It seems to be secure at the majority of its known sites.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Macromitrium subfragile Dixon et Sainsbury
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Fruiting
Although fruit has been seen insufficient information exists to provide any details on the timing of fruiting
Other information
Etymology
brevicaule: With a short stem
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.
MACBRE
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: RR
2005 | Range Restricted | Qualifiers: S?O
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Vitt, D.H. 1983: The New Zealand species of the pantropical genus Macromitrium (Orthotrichaceae: Musci) taxonomy, phylogeny and phytogeography. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 54: 1-94.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (5 November 2007). Description adapted from Vitt (1983).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Macromitrium brevicaule Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/macromitrium-brevicaule/ (Date website was queried)