Kurzia moniliformis J.J.Engel
Kurzia moniliformis J.J.Engel, Cryptogamie 26: 73. f. 1. 2005.
Holotype: New Zealand, North Is., South Auckland Prov., Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park, Kaimai Ra., spur ESE of Ngatamahinerua, headwaters of Poupou Stream, ca. 2 km W of North-South Track, 405 m, Engel and von Konrat 23600 (F); isotype: (AK).
Plants with a prickly appearance, wiry, pure green to pale olive-green, the stems golden brown, forming interwoven, compact, felt-like mats, the shoots tiny for genus, to 3 mm wide including branches, the main shoot often becoming flagelliform, pale, microphyllous and appearing similar to stolons. Branching basically 1–2(3)-pinnate, with suberect, pinnate terminal branches (both Frullania and Microlepidozia types), produced at ± regular intervals from a horizontal, indeterminate, leafy axis that becomes denuded with age, the branching frequently subopposite, the branches dorsally ascending and at right angles to the main shoot, the ultimate ones somewhat dorsiventrally flattened, the erect leafy branches not becoming flagelliform; branch half-leaf divided to the base into two halves, each half variously inserted in relation to the other, each similar to a leaf lobe, the margins each with a lateral spur, or entire; first underleaf of Frullania -type branch asymmetrically or (sporadically) symmetrically 3-lobed, inserted on the ventral lateral side of base of branch. Ventral-intercalary branches from the horizontal axis, becoming erect and leafy, or geotropic and stoloniform, often long and whip-like. Lateral-intercalary branches occasional, from flagelliform sectors in distal portion of plant, the branches pinnate and similar to those that are terminal in origin. Stems stiff and wiry, the cortical cells in surface view elongate, distinctly thick-walled (especially the radial longitudinal walls), the walls golden brown, the cortical cells in cross section in 12 rows, in a single layer of very thick-walled, pigmented cells slightly larger than the firm-walled, colorless, medullary cells; 3–4 cortical cells intervening between successive leaves on each side of stem. Rhizoids sparsely developed, from cells of underleaf disc. Leaves brittle, rigid, firmly attached, concave to canaliculate, distant on prostrate leading axes, but rather densely imbricate on ultimate branches, the disc widely spreading to squarrose, the lobes ± abruptly suberect and parallel with stem, or with lobe tips arched toward the stem, the dorsal-most lobes somewhat more stiffly erect on leaves of the main shoot but markedly so on the branches, the branch leaves appearing as if “brushed” forward; leaves 120–145 µm wide × 125–170 µm long, the insertion transverse, the leaves somewhat asymmetric due to differing size and form of lobes, ± equally 4-fid nearly to the base. Lobes easily fragmenting, with varying portions of the lobes at times caducous, the leaves sometimes lacking the entire lobe, at times just the uniseriate sector, the lobes narrowly attenuate to narrow-sublinear, 2–4 cells broad at base and with up to 6 biseriate tiers and in that sector hardly tapering, terminating in a uniseriate row of 2–3 cells that are distinctly constricted at the septa, the lobe margins entire; lobe cells comprised of small, quadrate to short-oblong cells, turgid and barrel-shaped lending the uniseriate portion a submoniliform appearance, the cells of uniseriate row subisodiametric to at most slightly elongated (to ca. 1.3:1), the terminal cell rounded at the tip. Disc 1(2) cells high; sinus bases and abaxial face of the disc without appendages; disc often with a single tooth on dorsal margin, the ventral margin entire or sporadically with a small tooth; disc of primary branch leaves sporadically with a tooth on dorsal margin, the leaves of the ultimate branches typically with disc margins entire. Cells of disc and lobes evenly rather thick-walled and without trigones, subquadrate to short-oblong, small, those in basal half of lobe 10–17 × 16–22 µm, those of disc 15–18 × 12–20(24) µm; surface of lobes distinctly papillose on both abaxial and adaxial faces, the papillae crowded, the surface of disc striate. Underleaves usually asymmetrically (3)4-fid to near the base, the lobes 2 cells wide at the base followed by 0–3 biseriate tiers and a uniseriate row of 2–5 cells, the cells of uniseriate row mostly similar in appearance to those of leaves; fully developed lobes typically more persistent, with a uniseriate row of up to 5 subisodiametric cells and with a terminal cell lacking a slime papilla; aborted lobes weaker in appearance, thinner-walled, often readily caducous, consisting of (1)2 cells that are either subisodiametric or at times 2:1 or a little more, the terminal cell often with a slime papilla; disc 1–2 cells high, the cells subisodiametric, thick-walled, the margins entire; underleaves of older shoot sectors often consisting solely of the disc + paired cells of lobe bases. Asexual reproduction via fragmenting leaves.
Androecia on short, determinate, spicate, ventral-intercalary branches from leading leafy shoots, on both ventral- and lateral-intercalary branches in flagelliform sectors; bracts up to 6 pairs, strongly ventricose-cucullate, leptodermous throughout, bilobed to ca. 0.4 by acuminate segments that terminate in a uniseriate row of 2–3 cells; dorsal and ventral margins of disc similar, the ventral with 1–2, few-celled teeth, the dorsal with smaller, delicate cells in basal sector, often with a tooth just below level of lobe; antheridia 1 per bract, large for bract size, the stalk uniseriate; bracteolar antheridia lacking. Gynoecia on abbreviated ventral-intercalary branches issuing from main stem, the gynoecium base swollen and densely rhizoidous; bracts and bracteole of first series small and scale-like, those of second series tightly appressed to those of innermost series; bracts and bracteole of innermost series erect and closely ensheathing the perianth, identical, markedly membranous, fused and tubular in basal half, the free portion of bracts and bracteole each concave, shallowly bilobed, the lobules broad at base, terminating in an elongate process composed of 1–2 elongate, papillose cells, the lobule margin crenate-denticulate by projecting distal ends of cells; free sector of lamina composed of ± regularly short- to long-rectangular to 5-angled cells, the margin irregularly crenate-dentate. Perianth straight to curved, fusiform, terete in basal half, stipitate at the base, the distal half obscurely trigonous and pluriplicate, narrowing to a distinct, rather elongate contracted sector at the mouth, the mouth fringed with cilia, the cilia composed of 1–2 biseriate tiers of elongate cells each free distally and forming a shoulder-like projection and terminating in a single, thin-walled, elongate cell or a uniseriate row of 2 such cells (to ca. 7:1), the perianth surface directly below scabrous by free distal ends of cells (prorate).
Sporophyte not seen.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand. Known only from the type, which occurred in the Kaimai Ra. under the shade of a Blechnum colony in a stream valley under an open canopy of Beilschmiedia tawa and Weinmannia silvicola; the subcanopy dominants were Schefflera digitata, Cyathea dealbata and C. smithii and a shrub layer of Freycinetia baueriana and Cortaderia.
Comments : This is a distinctive species that should not be confused with any other New Zealand member of the genus. Leaf lobes are distinctive in having up to 6 biseriate tiers and in that sector hardly taper (Fig. 81: 1, 4). Lobes terminate in a uniseriate row of 2–3 cells that are turgid, barrel-shaped and distinctly constricted at the septa, which lends the uniseriate portion submoniliform (Fig. 81: 1–4). The lobe cells below the level of the uniseriate row also notably bulge (Fig. 81: 1, 3). The leaves are comprised of small, quadrate to short-oblong cells that do not much differ from leaf apex to base (Fig. 81: 1–3). Cells are evenly thick-walled, and the surface of the entire leaf is distinctly papillose except for the striate disc (Fig. 81: 1, 4). For further comments see Engel (2005a).
