Lepidozia obtusiloba Steph.
Plants medium (to 1 cm wide, including branches), erect, dark brown; branches strongly ventrally secund; leaves rather broadly inserted, (0.7)0.8–1.2 mm wide × 0.65–1 mm long.
Distribution and Ecology : New Zealand: Campbell Island, Auckland Islands, South Island (600–1200 m); Australia: Victoria. In New Zealand known from Fiordland (eastern ranges only), Southland (Catlins), Otago (Otago Coast, Waikaia and Lakes ERs), Canterbury (Mt. Cook Natl. Park, Upper Godley River, Upper Rakaia River, Arthur’s Pass, Craigieburn Ra.), Westland (Haast Pass, Franz Josef Glacier, Otira, Kelly Ra., Nelson Lewis Pass, Lakes Natl. Park), Western Nelson (Arthur Ra.) and Sounds–Nelson (Richmond Ra., Mt. Robertson) EPs. Common east of the Main Divide, but uncommonly collected in central and south Westland or Fiordland, reflecting a preference for districts with only moderate rainfall.
A montane variety typically present in the upper reaches of forests of, mainly, Nothofagus menziesii or N. solandri forests but also found under Libocedrus bidwillii – Griselinia littoralis – Podocarpus hallii forest. It is often abundant, and then appears as the most common hepatic on the forest floor, on rotting logs and on tree trunks. It may form large masses on the ground and cover enormous areas (e.g., in N. menziesii forest at 1350 m on Mt. Arthur, Kahurangi Natl. Park). Varietyobtusiloba may extend to the penalpine and alpine zones in protected niches on the faces of boulders or cliffs.
