Species

Zoopsis nitida

Etymology

nitida: From the Latin nitidus 'glossy'

Common Name(s)

Liverwort

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Sparse

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

Authority

Zoopsis nitida Glenny, Braggins et R.M.Schust

Family

Lepidoziaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Liverwort

Synonyms

None (first described in 1997)

Distribution

Endemic. North Island (Waipoua to the Waitakere Ranges)

Features

Plants glossy, dark-green, creeping. Stems 13-15 mm long, broad and flat, plano-convex to biconvex, 0.34-0.55 mm wide at the widest point. ).06-0.07 mm high, sparingly branched, in two ways: terminal, Frullania-type branching,and unilateral, ventral-intercalary branching; intercalary branches short (1.5 mm long) and infrequent (1-2 per plant). Branches often attenuate at apex. Ventral-intercalary flagellae present, hyaline. Cells of the central strand in 9-12 rows. leaves caducous, present only near the growing tip of stem or branches where they are present as single cells, or rarely as 3-celled ephemeral vestiges. Under-leaves vestigial. Rhizoids arising from ventral median cells in fascicles from the bases of the under-leaves, hyaline 70 microns long, unicellular with a clavate apex. Cells of the dorsal surface 70-150 x 120-170 microns, 30-40 microns deep. Cells of the ventral surface 60-80 x 100-140 microns, 20-25 microns deep. Cells of the central strand on the ventral surface 100-110 x 40-50 microns, 12 microns deep. Oil bodies 4-35 per cell, 4 x 4 microns to 10 x 10 microns to 13 x 5 microns, spherical to spindle-shaped, botryoidal, pale greyish (the smallest spherical and almost smooth; the larger spherical to spindle-shaped and distinctly botryoidal). Dioicous. Perianths on short ventral branches, pyriform, 1.1-1.6 x 0.6 mm, divided at the apex into 6 teeth, each 0.5-0.7 mm long (about one-third of the perianth). Gynoecial bracts c.9 mm long, trilobed, with teeth of varying height, the largest 600 microns, the smallest 260 microns long. Seta c.6 mm long at maturity, 180-200 microns diameter, with 8 outer cell rows (cells 110-160 x 50 microns), c. 12 inner cell rows of small diameter. Capsule c.0.5 mm diameter with segments c.630 x 240 microns, with outer wall cells 13 x 4 microns with transverse thickenings. Spores c.15 microns diameter, spherical, finely reticulate-ridged. Elaters 150-290 microns long, spirally thickened.

Fruiting

Have been seen but range is unknown

Threats

Since its description in 1997 knowledge of this species has improved. It is now no logner regarded as threatened. A spate of recent gatherings show that this species is naturally uncommon but widely distributed and so is best rated sparse

This page last updated on 9 Jan 2012