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  4. Phlegmariurus varius

Phlegmariurus varius

Pinehaven, Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 29/12/2004, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Coromandel.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/06/2005, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mavora Lakes.<br>Photographer: Melissa Hutchison, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Huperzia varia.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Auckland Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Dawson Falls, Mount Taranaki.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 13/02/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Dawson Falls, Mount Taranaki.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 13/02/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Pinehaven, Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 14/02/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Cobb Valley.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/03/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mount Ruapehu.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 25/11/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 06/03/2022, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

clubmoss

Synonyms

Urostachys varius (R.Br.) Herter ex Nessel; Lycopodium varium R.Br.; Lycopodium billardieri Spring; Lycopodium novae-zelandicum Colenso; Lycopodium varium var. alpinum R.Br.; Lycopodium varium var. umbrosum R.Br.; Lycopodium varium R.Br.; Lycopodium flagellaria sensu A.Rich.; Lycopodium phlegmaria sensu A.Cunn., Lycopodium novozealandicum Colenso; Huperzia varia (R. Br.) Trevis.

Family

Lycopodiaceae

Authority

Phlegmariurus varius (R.Br.) A.R.Field et Bostock

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.

HUPVAR

Chromosome number

2n = c.256

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By 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.

2012 | Not Threatened

Previous conservation statuses

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Distribution

Indigenous. Kermadec (Raoul Island only), Three Kings, North, South, Stewart, Chatham, Antipodes, Campbell and Auckland Islands. Also Australia.

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine. In forest (usually as an epiphyte), in scrub, often rupestral or in peat bogs

Features

Terrestrial, lithophytic or epiphytic plants producing 1-many branches from near base. branches tufted, erect suberect if terrestrial or pendulous if epiphytic, branched 1-many times, 0.08-2.0 m long. Leaves spirally arranged, spreading, angled at 60-90 degrees to axis, linear-lanceolate, acute to subacute, 9-18 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, deep green to yellow-green, sometimes tinged orange; texture and thickness variable; margins entire, often thickened. Transition from sterile to sporogenous zone gradual or abrupt. Sporogenous zone 40-180 mm long, usually 3.5-4.5 mm diameter usually distinct from sterile leaves but sometimes scarcely discernible. Sporophylls variable; linear-lanceolate, spreading, shorter than sterile leaves, to 10 mm long, smaller towards apex; or ovate triangular, keeled, in 4-rows, imbricate, appressed, 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Sporangia occupying one-tenth to the entire length of the sporophyll. Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).

Similar taxa

Epiphytic forms are easily distinguished from all other New Zealand representatives of the family. However, sterile, terrestrial forms can only be reliably distinguished from Huperzia australiana by the lack of bulbils and by the upper branch tips which tend or curl downwards rather than stay erect.

Flowering

N.A.

Flower colours

No flowers

Fruiting

N.A.

Life cycle

Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Propagation technique

Can be grown from rooted pieces. These should be planted in a moist, free draining medium like orchid mix. Epiphytic forms make a spectacular hanging basket plant. Plants do best in partially shade and should never be allowed to dry out. Growth is usually rather slow.

Taxonomic Notes

Field & Bostock (2013) have revived the genus Phlegmariurus, a genus which applies to one of the New Zealand plants previously referred to Huperzia, H. varia - which is now known as Phlegmariurus varius. As currently circumscribed the New Zealand concept of Phlegmariurus varius includes a range of distinctive races some of which have valid names in Lycopodium. Some of these races need further critical taxonomic investigation, especially as they retain their growth habits in cultivation, under uniform conditions.

Attribution

Factsheet prepared by P.J. de Lange 16 March 2011. Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).

References and further reading

Brownsey, P.J.; Smith-Dodsworth, J.C. 2000: New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. Auckland, David Bateman

Chinnock, R.J. 1998: Lycopodiaceae. Flora of Australia 48: 66-85.

Field, A.R.; Bostock, P.D. 2013: New and existing combinations in Palaeotropical Phlegmariurus (Lycopodiaceae) and lectotypification of the type species Phlegmariurus phlegmaria (L.) T.Sen & U.Sen. PhytoKeys 20: 33–51 (2013) doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.20.4007

Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Phlegmariurus varius Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/phlegmariurus-varius/ (Date website was queried)

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