Paracromastigum furcifolium (Steph.) R.M.Schust.
Type: New Zealand, Kirk 219 p. p. (“inter Anthoc. 219”) (G!).
Lepidozia cavernarum Herzog, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 68: 44. pl. 5, f. g–l. 1938.
Type: New Zealand, North Is., “Kiwi,” Wairoa, Sept. 1931, Hodgson 88.
[Fig. 108: 1, oil-bodies, p. 469]
Plants usually pure green, at times clear yellowish white-green, somewhat water-repellent, small but not tiny, 550–960 µm wide. Branching markedly plastic: Frullania - and Acromastigum -type terminal branches typically present and frequent (but sparsely developed in some populations), Microlepidozia -type branches exceptional or sporadic; ventral-intercalary branches frequent; stoloniform branches rather common, long for plant size, nitid. Stems with cortical cells large and thin- or firm-walled, in 7–9 rows distinctly larger than the medullary cells, the cortical cells in surface view strongly elongated; medullary cells thin- or firm-walled. Main shoots with normally 2(3) elongate-rectangular cortical cells intervening between successive leaves on either side. Leaves rather rigid, at times subvertical, widely spreading, remote to contiguous, the insertion clearly succubous, not inserted to stem midline dorsally, most of the dorsal 2 cell rows leaf-free, 170–230 µm wide, 300–450 µm long, the leaves predominantly bifid or at times 2–3-lobed (the 3-lobed leaves have a longer dorsal lobe), the leaves divided to ca. 0.7–0.85; lobes lanceolate and rather acuminate, varying from 2 to 3–4 cells wide at base, terminating in a uniseriate row of 2–3 elongated cells; disc comprised of 1(2) tiers of cells along the insertion + the tier of laterally juxtaposed cells at the base of each lobe, the cells tending to lie in tiers, the disc 4–6 cells broad on bifid leaves, 6–7 cells wide on trifid ones. Cells of leaves clearly rectangulate, mostly 3–5:1, evenly rather firm-walled; surface of lobes finely striate-papillose, of disc finely striate or smooth. Oil-bodies inconspicuous and occupying a tiny portion of cell lumen, very pale grey, 1–3 per disc cell, irregularly elliptic, coarsely and distinctly botryoidal, with age and breakdown, the spheres coalesce and ultimately one large, smooth sphere ensues. Underleaves ca. 0.4–0.55× the leaves, 2–3-fid (majority of underleaves trifid on strong stems), the trifid underleaves nearly uniformly asymmetrical, with mostly 1 or 2 lobes reduced, 2–3-celled and ending in a slime papilla; disc 1 cell high, consisting of only the paired cells at the lobe bases or 1 or more cells may have transverse divisions, the disc then in part 1.5 cells high. Asexual reproduction frequent, by fragmentation of last 1–3 cell tiers of leaf lobes.
Androecia on short (but not abbreviated) ventral-intercalary branches from leafy shoots or arising from microphyllous creeping axes, the branches may initially produce 1 or a few gyres of distant, reduced, bifid leaves, the androecia exceptionally very long-spicate and lacking normal sterile leaves, with the bracts in up to 18 pairs, the androecial branches at times producing a weak ventral-intercalary branch and (even on the same androecial branch) an Acromastigum -type leafy branch; bracts at times pale brown distally, a little dorsally assurgent, bifid, the disc moderately ventricose; bracteoles much smaller, flat, bifid; antheridia 1 per bract, the stalk biseriate. Gynoecia on short ventral-intercalary branches; bracts of innermost series much larger than leaves, bifid to 0.45; lobes mostly terminating in a uniseriate row of 2–3 cells, the lobe margins with a few teeth; disc margins sparingly crenulate by projecting upper ends of cells, + small teeth also present; bracteole basically similar to bracts but a little smaller. Perianth mouth lobulate, the lobules terminating in a uniseriate row of 2–3 somewhat elongated cells, the terminal cell rounded at the summit; perianth unistratose but locally bistratose toward base.
Capsule wall 2–3-stratose.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand: Stewart Island (near sea level), South Island (0–700 m), North Island (10–1035 m). Known from Westland, Western Nelson, Southern North Island, Volcanic Plateau, Auckland and Northland EPs.
A rather common species with a broad range, extending from Stewart Island to Northland, but uncommon in the South Island. The species typically occurs in felt-like mats over raw sandy or clayey soil of banks, particularly steep and vertical banks that may or may not be associated with streams. The banks may be within the forest and at times rather heavily shaded, or they may be relatively well illuminated, such as at roadsides, sometimes under light shade of tall ferns such as Blechnum novae-zelandiae. A characteristic niche for the species is that of the concave portion of the lip at the upper extreme of vertical banks, the lip usually formed by the forest edge above. For example, at Stockton Plateau (700 m) it was found on the sloping roof of a rock overhang above a stream, with Acromastigum colensoanum, Telaranea inaequalis, Zoopsis bicruris and Z. setulosa. In open sites it has been found with Drucella integristipula, Fissidens asplenioides, F. pallidus, Jackiella curvata and Leucobryum candidum, while in more shaded forest sites it occurs with Acromastigum colensoanum, Lepidozia spinosissima, Psiloclada clandestina, Saccogynidium australe and Zoopsis setulosa.
Also over wet soil in a wet, poorly drained bog with the margin dominated by Leptospermum, with some Calluna vulgaris (near Tawhai Falls Track, Tongariro Natl. Park, 1035 m). Also over wet soil, with sedges and Gleichenia in an ecotonal area of Typha orientalis swamp and Leptospermum scoparium swamp (ca. 10 m, track to Te Werahi Beach, directly south of Cape Reinga).
