Macromitrium brevicaule
Common name
Moss
Synonyms
Macromitrium subfragile Dixon et Sainsbury
Family
Orthotrichaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Mosses
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
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 | Range Restricted | Qualifiers: SO
Previous conservation status
2004 | Extinct
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).
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
Fruiting
Although fruit has been seen insufficient information exists to provide any details on the timing of fruiting
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.
Substrate
Corticolous and saxicolous within coastal forest
Etymology
brevicaule: With a short stem
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (5 November 2007). Description adapted from Vitt (1983).
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.
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)