Species
Zygodon rufescens
Common Name(s)
moss
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
Qualifiers
2009 - SO
Authority
Zygodon rufescens (Hampe) Broth.
Family
Orthotrichaceae
Flora Category
Non Vascular - Native
Structural Class
Moss
Distribution
Indigenous. ?Worldwide. In New Zealand known from the North Island from scattered sites across the eastern Central Volcanic Plateau, Kaingaroa Plain and near Taupo, and in the southern South Island
Features
Corticolous, densely tufted moss. Plants olive-green above, dull red below. Stems simple or dichotomously branched, up to 20 mm tall, more or less radiculose below with red tomentum. Brood bodies clavate, with traverse and longitudinal walls. Leaves c.2 mm long, often crisped when dry, squarrosely spreading when moist, lanceolate, very long and sharply acute; shortly decurrent, entire of finely crenulate through projecting papillae, with plane margins. Nerve failing below apex, usually finely rugose on the underside. Upper cells 8-10 microns, rounded and angled, incrassate, papillose; those at the base rectangular, hyaline, smooth, thin-walled. Sex organs and sporophyte unknown.
Fruiting
Fruits not known
Threats
An apparently naturally uncommon, biologically sparse species in New Zealand.
This page last updated on 25 Jul 2014