Kurzia helophila R.M.Schust.
Kurzia helophila var. flaccida R.M.Schust., Beih. Nova Hedwigia 118: 259. 2000, nom. nud.
Kurzia helophila var. flaccida R.M.Schust. ex J.J.Engel, Novon 17: 310. 2007.
Holotype: New Zealand, South Is., Fiordland Natl. Park, track from L. Mackenzie to Harris Saddle, Schuster 67-3908 (F).
Plants fuscous, main shoots ca. 525–550 µm broad, with cortical cells in (12)15–16 rows. Leaves somewhat incubously inserted, hand-like, strongly concave, tending to be clearly longer than broad, ovate to obovate, ca. 275–330 µm wide × 350–415 µm long, infrequently bisbifid, divided to 0.55; disc 17–24 cells broad, 9–12 cells high. Underleaves variable, often asymmetrically 4-lobed, some to only 0.4–0.5.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand. Known only from the type, which occurred in alpine tussock grassland, in peaty areas among Sphagnum, Metahygrobiella drucei and Hygrolembidium between 1100 and 1250 m.
Comments : This extreme tends to have a higher disc, often as high or higher than broad. The leaf lamina is formed of almost equal-sized cells throughout the lamina and well into the lobes. By contrast, in var. helophila, the basal cells in the lamina are considerably larger than those of the upper portions of the disc and of the basal halves of the lobes.
This plant is closely similar in many respects to the southern South American Kurzia saddlensis. Vigorous shoots may be subisophyllous. However, on other shoot sectors underleaves may be relatively small and abnormal; deeply bisbifid underleaves sporadically occur. It is possible that this is merely a luxuriant extreme of “normal” K. helophila.
