Cephaloziella subspinosa R.M.Schust.
Cephaloziella subspinosa R.M.Schust., Nova Hedwigia 22: 210. pl. 24: 10–14. 1972 (1971).
Holotype: New Zealand, North Is., Mangamuka Reserve, SE of Kaitaia, ca. 1000 ft., Schuster 67-1114a.
Plants clear green, with bright brownish shoot apices on exposed shoot sectors, small, to 400–425 µm wide. Branching sparingly. Stem smooth. Leaves vertical, stiffly spreading, loosely folded or conduplicate, remote, transversely inserted, broadly subquadrate when flattened, 175–185(205) µm wide × 150(175) µm long, bifid to at most 0.65; lobes sharply triangular, straight, never incurved, 6–9 cells broad at base, terminating in a single, somewhat weakly elongated, typically tuberculate-tipped cell, the margins with scattered, sharp-tipped, 1-celled teeth whose tips are ± thick-walled; disc margins with a few teeth similar to those of the lobes, the teeth 11–14 per leaf (on weak plants the dentition lacking or vestigial but all mature plants with at least a few such sharp-tipped teeth), the abaxial surface of disc smooth and cells not tuberculate; sinus broadly U-shaped at base and strongly gibbose and recurved. Cells usually colorless, smooth, thick-walled, with a distinct middle lamella, strongly variable, from 10–13 × 10–14 µm at margins and apices to 16–18 × 20–26 µm at base, often with 2–3 much larger cells. Oil-bodies (Schuster, 1972a) not glistening, (1)2–3(4) in most cells, 2–4(5) in larger basal and sub-basal cells, lacking in many marginal and submarginal cells, obscurely papillose-botryoidal, subspherical, 2–3 × 3–4 µm. Underleaves well developed, polymorphic, either bifid with 2–3-celled lobes or unlobed and ending in a jagged tooth and with 2–4 supplementary teeth. Gemmae lacking (type) or present and 2-celled, subspherical, covered with rounded, thick-walled tubercles.
Dioecious. Only ♂ known.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand: North Island (305–380 m). Known only from two stations: the type station, on a loamy clay bank, mixed with Paracromastigum furcifolium, P. macrostipum and Isotachis cf. lyallii under Leptospermum scoparium at the edge of a disused road (Schuster, 1972a). Also known from along a stream in Whirinaki (leg. Schuster), where growing as straggly stems mixed with small acrocarpous mosses and Cephaloziella muelleriana. In both cases on mineral soil.
Comments : The sharp but small teeth of the leaves of larger plants are diagnostic for the species. Such teeth are produced independently of gemma formation, unlike many other Cephaloziella species, which develop dentition of gemmiferous leaves.
Cephaloziella subspinosa is a member of subgenusEvansia, in which gemmae are covered with coarse rounded papillae. Our other Cephaloziella species have gemmae that are ovoid to ellipsoidal and smooth, often with a slight mamillate projection at the ends (citroniform), or gemmae are absent altogether (10 species).
The species is also notable in the marked size discrepancy between marginal cells and median/ basal cells (see Schuster, 1996a, fig. 12: 4).
Schuster (1996a) commented that Cephaloziella pellucida of New Zealand, and C. squarrosula and C. hirta of Australia, may be extremes of a single species. This complex needs further study. For example, Douin (1920) states that C. squarrosula is paroecious, but Stephani (1898–1924 [1908]) says it is dioecious. Cephaloziella hirta is stated to be dioecious by Stephani (1898–1924 [1908]).
This species is one of a relatively few lowland taxa of North Island. The others are Cephaloziella muelleriana (Whirinaki River, 380 m), C. invisa (Otupaka Frost Flats, 700 m) and C. densifolia var. dubia (Coromandel Ra., 305 m). Most of our Cephaloziella taxa occur at upper elevations (often alpine zone) in the South Island.
