Bazzania hochstetteri (Reichardt) E.A.Hodgs.
Mastigobryum hochstetteri Reicht., Verh. K.K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 16 (III): 959. 1866.
Bazzania hochstetteri (Reicht.) E.A.Hodgs., Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 82: 11. 1954.
Type: New Zealand, “An alten Stämmen in Wäldern um Coromandel,” Hochstetter, ex herb. Reichardt (G!).
Mastigobryum mittenii Steph., Hedwigia 25: 241, 242. 1886, ut nom. nov. pro Mastigobryum affine Mitt. in Hook.f., Bot. Antarc. Voy. 2: 147. 1854, non M. affine Lindenb. & Gottsche in Gottsche, Lindenb. & Nees, Syn. Hepat. 720. 1847 (Mexico).
Bazzania mitteniana (Steph.) Steph., Hedwigia 28: 132. 1889.
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Tararua and Tehawera Mtns., Colenso.
Mastigobryum concinnatum Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 18: 245. 1886.
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1885, Colenso.
Mastigobryum quadratum Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 18: 246. 1886.
Bazzania quadrata (Colenso) W.Martin & E.A.Hodgs. in W.Martin, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 78: 499. 1950.
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1885, Colenso 1399 (G!).
Mastigobryum similis Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 18: 247. 1886.
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1885, Colenso.
Mastigobryum imbricatistipulum Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 19: 290. 1887 (1886).
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1886, Colenso.
Mastigobryum pusillum Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 19: 290. 1887 (1886).
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1886, Colenso a. 1410 (BM!, G!).
Mastigobryum heterophyllum Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 19: 191. 1887 (1886).
Type: New Zealand, North Is., Waipawa Co., near Norsewood, 1886, Colenso.
Plants fragile, strongly anisophyllous, prostrate, light green; shoots small, to 1.8(3.9) mm wide. Branching pseudo-dichotomous, of Frullania type, widely spreading; branch half-leaf ± symmetric, narrowly ovate, undivided, tapering to a sharp, slender apex; first branch underleaf 2-lobed (rarely bidentate or undivided), transversely to obliquely inserted on main axis below base of branch and often basally connate to an underleaf of the main shoot. Ventral-intercalary leafy branches occasionally produced; stoloniform branches occasional. Stems ± slender, the cortical cells moderately thick-walled. Leaves caducous and easily detached, subopposite to opposite, horizontal, contiguous to loosely imbricate, with much of stem exposed in dorsal aspect, widely spreading (ca. 90°); leaves not vittate, 390–600(750) µm wide × 815–1020(1750) µm long, the insertion narrow and distinctly incubous, asymmetrically (and often rather narrowly) ovate-ligulate, subfalcate, the apex moderately to strongly oblique, symmetrically and rather deeply 3-dentate (or predominantly 2-dentate in weaker shoots), the teeth divergent, the ventral tooth often ventrally displaced; teeth 3–5 cells wide at base, narrowly acute, at times subacuminate, terminating in a uniseriate row of 2–3 cells, the terminal cell tapering to a sharp, thick-walled point, the leaf apex otherwise normally entire, sporadically with a few small teeth; dorsal margin ampliate, distinctly arched, at most extending to middle of stem, cordate at base, the margin normally entire, rarely with 1–2 indistinct teeth in distal sector; ventral margin straight to curved gently inward, entire. Cells of leaf differentiated into a broad, diffuse band of enlarged rectangular cells in the median longitudinal portion of the leaf (subvittate), 14–23 µm wide × 26–39 µm long; cells smaller, subquadrate and evenly thick-walled near the margins, particularly the dorsal; median cells 11–19 µm wide × 14–24 µm long, thin-walled, trigones ± knot-like in subvitta cells; cells of leaf base enlarged, the basal cell row of detached leaves often remaining on stem; surface of leaf margin and apex finely papillose. Oil-bodies occupying a conspicuous portion of cell lumen, dull opaque, with a cloud-like appearance, 2–3(4) to (2)3–5 per median leaf cell, 3–5 per cell in subvitta cells, potato-shaped, ovoid to broadly elliptic, often irregularly so to at times sausage-shaped, homogeneous or very coarsely segmented (with up to ca. 3 segments), the oil-body contents often not consistent throughout and appearing to possess some surface texturing, e.g., folds, indentations or strong surface constrictions; oil-bodies 6–8(11) per basal cell, of the same size and texture as at midleaf; oil-bodies at leaf margins 2–3 per cell, of the same size and texture as midleaf or smaller. Underleaves small, spreading, little wider than the stem, connate with the leaves on both sides (or sporadically free on 1 or both sides), quadrate to subrectangular and somewhat narrowed to the insertion, the apex irregularly dentate-lobulate and hyaline (decolorate), with irregular, sharp, often crowded, sinuate teeth (rarely subentire), the hyaline distal sector variable in width, occupying as much as 0.5 of underleaf, composed of thin-walled, sinuate-rhomboidal cells; lateral margins straight, the hyaline cells often extending as a narrow border part way to the insertion; median non-hyaline cells quadrate to ± elongate; surface of hyaline cells finely papillose. Asexual reproduction by caducous leaves. Fungal partner absent.
Androecia and gynoecia not seen.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand: Stewart Island (20–30 m), South Island (10–600 m), North Island (300–670 m), Chatham Islands (80–260 m). In New Zealand known from Otago (Otago Peninsula), Westland (Stockton, Maimai, Greymouth, Harihari, Okarito), Volcanic Plateau (Rotorua, Atiamuri), Gisborne (Wairoa, Urewera), Auckland (Great Barrier Island, Kaimai Ra.) and Northland (Waipoua Forest) EPs.
A lowland forest plant, on caudices of tree ferns (Dicksonia fibrosa, D. squarrosa, Cyathea dealbata and C. smithii), sometimes on tree trunks (recorded from trunks of Weinmannia racemosa, Libocedrus bidwillii and Dracophyllum arboreum), tree stumps, rotten logs and soil, particularly soil banks above streams. It exceptionally occurs on rock; at the headwaters of Poupou Stream (Kaimai Ra., 400–425 m) it grows on bedrock in an open area ca. 10 m above stream level.
Where epiphytic it is found with Bazzania nitida, Calomnion complanatum, Dicranoloma menziesii, Lopidium concinnum, Trichomanes venosum, Tylimanthus diversifolius and Rhizogonium pennatum. Where terrestrial it is associated with Acromastigum colensoanum, Balantiopsis convexiuscula, Bazzania nitida, B. tayloriana, Campylopus clavatus, Kurzia hippuroides, Lepidozia bisbifida, Leucobryum candidum, Podomitrium phyllanthus, Rhizogonium pennatum, Riccardia crassa, Saccogynidium australe, Telaranea herzogii, Zoopsis argentea, Z. leitgebiana and Z. setulosa.
Comments : Plants of this species have a distinctive aspect, with rather narrow, falcate, contiguous to loosely imbricate leaves, leaving most of the dorsal surface of the stem exposed (Fig. 97: 6). Although clearly related to Bazzania adnexa, it differs primarily by its smaller size, fragile texture and easily detached, caducous leaves (Fig. 97: 6). Both species have hyaline-margined underleaves and first branch underleaves that are normally connate to an underleaf of the main shoot. The leaf lamina and the margins of the principal teeth of B. hochstetteri are nearly always entire. Weakly developed shoots often have predominantly bidentate leaves. This species is easily distinguished from B. nova (which is similar in size and is also caducous-leaved) by the form and areolation of the underleaves, which in B. hochstetteri are not dissected into distinct lobes and have a hyaline distal sector made up of thin-walled, colorless cells.
This species was erroneously included with the vittate species of Bazzania in a published key to that group (Engel and Schuster, 1988).
