Species

Buxbaumia novae-zelandiae

Etymology

novae-zelandiae: of New Zealand

Common Name(s)

Moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened

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 - Sparse

Authority

Buxbaumia novae-zelandiae Dixon

Family

Buxbaumiaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Moss

Synonyms

None - though Buxbaumia colyerae Burges of New South Wales, Australia might be conspecific

Distribution

?Endemic. North Island (Atiamuri, Karakariki, Barryville, Bennydale, Te Kuiti, Pureora, Wairoa, Ngaroma, Mokau, Awakino, Tarawera); South Island (Seddonville, Grey Valley near Greymouth)

Features

Minute, colonial plants growing on a felted protonema on soil or rock. Leaves up to 0.6 mm long, red-brown, narrowly or broadly lanceolate, acute or obtuse, sometimes irregularly divided at the apex; margins bluntly toothed in upper half, without cilia. Cells most subrectangular, smooth, incrassate. Seta 10-25 mm long, red, smooth or slightly and finely papillose, glossy. Capsule 6-7 mm long, suberect, oval in outline, slightly flattened above, pale brown, smooth. Stomata superficial, often wanting, 2-celled. Outer peristome of more than one layer of cells. Operculum bluntly conical. Spores c.10 microns diameter.

Fruiting

October - February (possibly longer)

Threats

Not Threatened. Although very easily overlooked indications are that this species is genuinely uncommon and biologicaly sparse

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 30 September 2007.

This page last updated on 27 Aug 2013