The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Tortula viridipila

Common Name(s)

moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Threatened - Nationally Endangered

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 - Range Restricted

Authority

Tortula viridipila Dixon et Sainsbury

Family

Pottiaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Moss

Synonyms

Desmatodon viridipilus (Dixon et Sainsbury) Sainsbury

Distribution

Endemic. South Island, Kahurangi National Park (possibly elsewhere)

Features

Minute, calcicolous, light brownish-green colonial moss. Stems short, c. 3 mm tall with the leaves densely comose in bulbils, simple or branched. Leaves 2.5-3.0 mm long, imbricate and slightly twisted when dry, erecto-patent when moist; lamina with widened base, oblong-lanceolate, abruptly acuminate, aristate owing to the projecting nerve, concave, entire; margins recurved mid-leaf; nerve strong, slightly widened towards the apex, excurrent in a long, flexuose, green arista which is hyaline at its apex, scarcely denticulate, equal to 1/4 or 1/3 leaf length. Upper cells 13 microns wide, pellucid with firm walls, densely pluripapillose; marginal cells scarcely differentiated; basal cells for 1/4 to 1/3 of the leaf rather lax, shortly rectangular, thin-walled; those at the basal margin slightly narrower. Upper leaves wider, subspathulate. Seta c.10 mm long, red. Capsule c.1.75 mm long, elliptic, brown, glossy. Peristome red, teeth conjoined below in a very short membrane, irregularly filiform, occasionally joined above, oblique or suberect. Columnella exserted. Operculum obliquely rostellate. Calyptra long, tubular above, basally widely dilated. Spores 20 microns, muriculate.

Fruiting

Although fruit has been seen insufficient information exists to provide any details on the timing of fruiting

Threats

A local endemic, abundant within its few known habitats. However the areas occupied are small and they are suspected of being in decline so the species has recently been listed as "Nationally Endangered" (see Glenny et al. 2011).

This page last updated on 25 Jul 2014