Species

Sphagnum perichaetiale

Common Name(s)

moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Range Restricted

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 - DP, SO

Authority

Sphagnum perichaetiale Hampe

Family

Sphagnaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Moss

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Indigenous. Pantropical. In New Zealand known from the North Island (Ahipara, Lake Rotokawau, Pakawakatutu, Aranga, Kawerua and Netherby) and from the South Island (Collingwood, German Terrace and the Nile River).

Features

Plants usually robust, dirty yellowish or brownish-green, sometimes with a faint orange tinge, forming moist or water-logged cushions; capitulum not obscured by branches, with a small apical bud. Fascicles of 4 (rarely 2-3) branches, the spreading and pendent branches well differentiated. Stems less than 100 mm, partially obscured by pendent branches; cortical cells mostly in 3 layers, those of the outermost layer short (1-2:1), with 1 large pore at the upper end, and weakly developed fibrils, surrounding a woody, dark-brown to nearly black internal cylinder. Stem leaves erect or pendent, Ungulate and inrolled in upper third to half, c. 2 mm long, weakly bordered, hyaline cells not or sparsely divided, fibrillose, on abaxial surface with few (mostly 3-6) large, ringed pores which are often aggregated with those of adjacent cells to form pseudolacunae, and larger (owing to resorption) and more numerous in lower portion of leaf and near margins; on adaxial surface pores absent. Branches (spreading) c. 5-8 mm long; cortical cells in a single layer, fibrillose, ± uniform, eporose or singly pored. Branch leaves broadly ovate, concave with cucullate and rounded apices, c. 2.5 mm long (from middle of spreading branch), strongly roughened (cristate) at back near apex owing to cell wall resorption, serrulate above, bordered by a single row of narrow cells with a resorption furrow, with pores not clearly visible under stereoscope (x50). Hyaline cells ± sigmoid, mostly 150-180 x 36-45 microns (upper median), fibrillose, not divided, on abaxial surface with few (mostly 3-4) inconspicuous pores aggregated at adjacent corners in groups of 2-3, often forming pseudolacunae; on adaxial surface with a few (1-4) large, unringed pores scattered along commissures. Branch leaf cross-section with hyaline cells convex on both surfaces; green cells narrowly urceolate to elliptic, exposed equally on both surfaces; commissural walls smooth.

Fruiting

Fruits apparently unknown in New Zealand material

Threats

Probably better rated as Data Deficient. This species is easily overlooked and can be mistaken for a stunted state of the more common S. cristatum. Recently it has been suggested that it much more widespread than Fife (1996) had thought (see Karlin & Andrus 2006).

This page last updated on 25 Jul 2014