The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Scorpiurum cucullatum

Common Name(s)

Moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Data Deficient

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2004 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

Qualifiers

2009 - SO

Authority

Scorpiurum cucullatum (Mitt.) Hedenäs

Family

Brachytheciaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Synonyms

Hypnum cucullatum Mitt.; Eurhynchium cucullatum (Mitt.) I.G.Stone et G.A.M.Scott

Distribution

Indigenous. Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand known from the North Island (Kawakawa) and South Island (Nelson, Pelorus).

Habitat

Corticolous and terricolous on rotting wood and damp silt - usually in wetlands, willow car or on the banks of streams and rivers. Plants are often covered in silt.

Features

Small, dirty-green, interwoven moss with weakly ascending or prostrate, curved branches. Primary stems creeping. Secondary stems 10-20 mm, forked or subpinnately branched, in cross-section oval, with 5 or more layers of thick-walled outer cells and a distinct central strand; rhizoids smooth, brown, sparse. Stem and branch leaves differentiated; branch leaves erect and subtubulose when dry, loosely spreading and concave when moist, elliptic-ovate, widest at or near middle, broadly acute or obtuse, 0.6-0.9 x 0.35-0.40 mm, not decurrent or plicate, margins bluntly denticulate in upper 1/4; upper laminal cells (beyond costa) and cells near margins rhombic, firm-walled and smooth, 21-30 x c.9 microns, mid laminal cells more elongate (35-45 microns); alar cells quadrate or subquadrate, firm-walled, forming a very large but ill-defined group extending nearly to the costa and upwards on the margin for c.150-225 microns (c.15-20 cells). Costa 30 microns wide at base, tapered, weakly spurred above, extending c.2/3 to apex, without terminal spine. Autoicous. Perichaetia scattered on stem and branches, with leaves erect and apparently ecostate. Perigonia scattered, c.0.6 mm. Setae stout, 4-5 mm, yellow-brown, weakly flexuose, papillose or smooth; capsule obovoid, weakly inclined, yellow brown, not narrowed at mouth, 1.1 x 0.65 mm. Spores 20-24 microns.

Fruiting

Fruiting plants have been recorded once fron New Zealand during August

Threats

Known from a few gatherings made in 1979 from two locations (Kawakawa and Rai Valley) that have since been heavily modified through development and flooding. It has not been relocated at either site despite considerable search effort. Glenny et al. (2011) suggest that this species may be better listed as a "Vagrant".

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 8 Nov 2013