The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Plagiochila hatcheri

Common Name(s)

Liverwort

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 - OL

Authority

Plagiochila hatcheri Engel et Merr.

Family

Plagiochilaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Liverwort

Synonyms

None (first described in 1999)

Distribution

Endemic. Stewart Island: Ulva Island (Patersons Inlet)

Features

Pale yellowish brown plants with erect leafy shoots arising from a horizontal leafless axis; shoots medium, to 2.8 mm wide. Branching frequent, the branches all lateral-intercalary, innovations mostly from axis of involucral leaves; stolons at times arising from near bases of branches. Stems wiry, pale brown, cortical cells in 3-4 layers. Leaves widely spreading, often at right angles to stem, slightly ventrally second, more or less horizontal; leaves broadly and asymmetrically ovate, widest subbasally; apex rounded to subacute, sharply toothed, teeth not notably larger than those of ventral margin; dorsal margin narrowly and sharply recurved, more or less straight, with 1 or more shaprt teeth in distal half, becoming narrowly revolute at base and filling insertion; ventral; margin moderately curved in distal portion, distinctly ampliate at base, toothed to the apex, the base truncate, entire, shortly decurrent. Marginal teeth coarse, narrowly acuminate from broad base, 2-3 cells wide at base, the uniseriate row 3-5 cells long. Underleaves vestigial consisting of 1 or more filiform cell clusters. Cells of median portion of leaf with trigones everywhere very large, strongly nodulose-triradiate, lumen syrrounded by trigones with intervening thin-walled places, cells more or less isodiametirc, 22-99 x 24-30 microns; median basal cells larger and elongated, forming a short , broad basal field; leaf margins without differentiated border, wall thickenings similar to those of median cells, cuticle smooth. Male plants not seen. Gynoecia at apices of main shoot and lateral-intecalary branches; bracts of innermost series asymmetrically narrowly ovate, the dorsal margin entire or with a tooth near the apex, ventral margin with larger teeth like those of leaves. Perianth obovate, broadest at mouth; mouth broadly rounded, laciniata, the teeth crowded, slenderly acuminate to subcaudate, ending in a uniseriate row of up to 6 cells long. Sporophytes not seen.

Fruiting

Unknown

Threats

Plagiochila hatcheri is still only known only from the type gathering which came from Ulva Island a secure Nature Reserve. It has not been seen there recently.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 9 Jan 2012