Cephalozia schusteriana
Cephalozia schusteriana J.J.Engel, Novon 17: 313. 2007.
Holotype: New Zealand, South Is., Canterbury Prov., Arthur’s Pass Natl. Park, Scotts Track to Avalanche Peak, W of town of Arthur’s Pass, 1370–1430 m, Engel 22067 – c. per. + ♂ (F); isotype: (CHR).
Plants soft, flexuous, lax, the main axis prostrate, pale whitish green on ventral and lateral sides of stem and at least the ventral half of leaves, the dorsal surface of stem and dorsal half of leaves magenta, the leading shoots to 700 µm wide. Branching copious, crowded, the branches weakly to strongly ascending, rather long, straggly and more heavily pigmented than main shoot (especially in distal sector of branch), notably more slender than the leading shoot, with a few branches (ventral-intercalary) soon becoming robust and of similar stature to leading axis, the branches mostly of ventral-intercalary type; Frullania -type branches less frequently, the half-leaf distinct, ovate; stoloniform branches occasional, of Frullania type, these unbranched. Stems with cortical cells in 11–13 rows, somewhat firm-walled, slightly to moderately larger than those of the medulla; medullary cells somewhat firm-walled. Rhizoids scattered, hyaline or brownish. Leaves (main shoot) dorsally assurgent, variably spreading, suberect to obliquely spreading, distant, strongly succubously inserted, the insertion extending virtually to stem midline dorsally, the leaves distinctly concave, broad ovate to ovate-subquadrate, uniformly bilobed to 0.4–0.5; lobes usually incurved, not drawn out, acute, at times somewhat apiculate, 5–8 cells wide at base, terminating in a single cell or a uniseriate row of 2 cells, the tip cell of lobes slightly longer than wide (to 2.4:1); lamina 20–24 cells wide. Cells markedly leptodermous, 22–34 µm wide × 44–54 µm long; surface smooth. Underleaves locally developed, lamelliform, short-bifid.
Autoecious. Androecia on rather short ventral-intercalary branches, becoming intercalary, with a few gyres of vegetative leaves prior to production of androecium; bracts loosely imbricate, leaf-like except for the slightly swollen basal sector and the slightly incurved tooth at dorsal base; antheridia 1 per bract. Gynoecia on ventral-intercalary branches with ca. 3–4 gyres of vegetative leaves, with a dense tuft of colorless rhizoids near base of lowermost bracteole; bracts in 3 series, those of innermost series sheathing base of perianth but the lobes stiffly reflexed-spreading, the bracts narrowly ovate-elliptic, bifid to ca. 0.45, the lobes narrowly acute, tapering to a single cell, the lobe margins weakly reflexed, entire, the lamina margins on each side with 1–2 blunt teeth; bracteole of lowermost series undivided and lamelliform, of second series much larger and bifid, the innermost bracteole ca. 0.75× bract area, narrowly connate on one side, free on the other, narrowly ovate-elliptic, short-bifid (to ca. 0.15), the lamina margins entire. Perianth rather long-exserted, subfusiform, trigonous throughout, plicate above, the mouth lobulate-ciliolate, the teeth of (1)2–4 elongated (3.1–4.1:1) cells, the tip cell tapering to the summit; perianth 1(2)-stratose toward base.
Sporophyte unknown.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand: South Island (1370–1430 m).
Known from only a few collections; occurring on the lip of a pool at 1370–1430 m in the alpine zone (type locality).
Comments : Perianths should be carefully searched for, since this is the only one of our Cephalozia species with a ciliolate perianth mouth. The teeth are numerous, each composed of (1)2–4 elongated cells (2–4.5:1) that are free laterally. The other three New Zealand species have a crenulate or at most crenulate-denticulate perianth mouth, and never have armature with a uniseriate row of 2 free cells. Also, the perianth base is 1–2-stratose and not fleshy as in C. pachygyna. Stems have 11–13 rows of somewhat firm-walled cortical cells that are only slightly to moderately larger than the medullary cells. The leaf insertion extends to the stem midline dorsally, and the lobes are 5–8 cells wide at the base and terminate in a single cell or a uniseriate row of 2 at most slightly elongated cells. Underleaves are locally developed on sterile shoots, and are undivided and lamelliform or short-bifid.
This species appears to be the same as “ Cephalozia ciliolata,” which is twice mentioned by Schuster (2002a), once in the key (p. 25) and again on p. 29. However, since there is no description, illustration or citation of a specimen of “ Cephalozia ciliolata ” in Schuster (2002a), that name therefore remains open to uncertainty.
