Flora of New Zealand Series

Cephaloziella arctica subsp. subantarctica R.M.Schust., Nova Hedwigia 22: 197. pl. 15. 1972 (1971).

Cephaloziella varians subsp. subantarctica (R.M.Schust.) R.M.Schust. ex J.J.Engel, Novon 17: 314. 2007. 

Holotype: New Zealand, South Is., Otago Prov., Old Man Ra., near summit of the “Old Man,” 5300 ft., Schuster 67-515a.

Distribution : New Zealand; Australia: Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia (Scott, 1985).

Comments : Schuster (1996a, p. 49) remarked that “the status of subsp. subantarctica needs re-newed investigation from more copious collections,” and for that reason, and also since we did not examine the type of this taxon, a taxonomic disposition is not made here.

Schuster (1972a) remarked that plants of this subspecies have some characters that may offer confusion with Cephaloziella byssacea, e.g., the rather large underleaves, the mostly folded leaves, and the more weakly connate gynoecial bracts. Presence of an autoecious inflorescence will immediately distinguish C. varians from the dioecious C. byssacea.

Schuster (1972a, p. 197) commented that plants of Cephaloziella arctica subsp. subantarctica are “autoecious but usually pseudodioecious (♂ and ♀ branches are often separated through decay of older shoot sectors”). Here and elsewhere the presence of a pseudodioecious condition must be treated with care, especially in populations where androecia and gynoecia are both terminal and mostly on very long branches. At times ♂ and ♀ gametangia are so remote from each other that intervening shoot sectors are often dead or dying by the time antheridia and perianths form, so that confusion of sexuality is a possibility. Care and patience are required to dissect out whole plants that demonstrate connections between ♂ and ♀ gametangia.