Cephalozia austrigena R.M.Schust.
Cephalozia austrigena R.M.Schust. ex J.J.Engel, Novon 17: 312. 2007.
Holotype: New Zealand, South Is., Mt. Aspiring Natl. Park, Mt. Brewster, NE of Haast River, ca. 4200 ft., Schuster 67-451d (herb. Schuster).
Plants whitish green, with sun forms developing intense vinaceous to carmine pigments, without trace of brownish pigments. Branching common, the branches frequently of Frullania type; ventral-intercalary type branches also present. Stems with cortical cells in 8–13 rows, inflated and forming a distinct hyaloderm, with cells much larger than the medullary cells, the ventral cortical cells smaller than the dorsal and lateral ones; medullary cells in 8–12 rows. Leaves dorsally assurgent, with insertion strongly succubous to subtransverse, not extending to stem midline dorsally, delimiting a leaf-free strip of 2 cells broad, the leaves concave, suborbicular-ovate, not decurrent dorsally, bilobed to 0.45–0.6; lobes rather sharp, usually connivent, lanceolate, terminating in 2–3 elongated cells, the tip cell to 2.7:1, at times rather sharply tapering to the summit, the lobes 4–5 cells wide at base; lamina to 10–17(20) cells broad. Cells in median sector 20–28 µm wide × 24–30 µm long to 24–31 µm wide × 36–65 µm long. Underleaves absent. Asexual reproduction nearly always present, by 1-celled, broad-elliptic gemmae.
Plants autoecious. Androecia on rather short ventral-intercalary branches; bracts leaf-like except more closely imbricate and with lobe cells less elongated. Gynoecia on axes of variable length, some on short ventral-intercalary branches; bracts in 2 progressively larger series, concave to canaliculate, ovate to elliptic, bifid to 0.4–0.5, the lobes narrowly acute, terminating in a single cell or a uniseriate row of 2 at most slightly elongated cells, the lobe margins entire, the lamina margins entire or with a broad-based small tooth; bracteoles very narrowly connate with bract on 1 side, free on the other, smaller than bracts, obovate, bifid to 0.35, the lobes rounded to subtruncate, the lobe and lamina margins entire. Perianth trigonous throughout, but more distinctly so above, gradually narrowed toward mouth; mouth crenulate-denticulate by cells laterally free for varying distances, some nearly entirely free laterally, the cells firm-walled, to 6:1, tapering to a narrowly rounded summit.
Sporophyte not seen.
Distribution and Ecology : Endemic to New Zealand: South Island (1280–1830 m), North Island (2025 m).
A species of the alpine zone, occurring, for example, admixed with Pseudocephalozia lepidozioides under dead tussock blades between edges of two tarns (E slope of Robert Ridge in vicinity of Mt. Robert Skifield, 1400–1480 m, Nelson Lakes Natl. Park). Above Sealy Lakes (Sealy Ra., Mt. Cook Natl. Park) plants occurred at 1370–1495 m with Pachyschistochila sp., P. trispiralis and Allisonia cockaynei on damp soil over rocks in a late-snow area (Schuster 48701A, F). The type (Mt. Brewster) is cited as occurring with Phyllothallia nivicola, Allisonia cockaynei, Balantiopsis diplophylla and Pseudocephalozia cf. lepidozioides. Also on a soil layer between boulders in an area of cliffs and outcrops with scattered alpine plants at 2025 m (N slope of Mt. Ruapehu, S of Top of the Bruce, Tongariro Natl. Park, leg. Engel). The last is among a small suite of species known at the highest recorded elevation in New Zealand.
Comments : The species was once regarded as a subspecies of the widespread, basically Holarctic Cephalozia bicuspidata. It differs from that species in a) the intense vinaceous to carmine pigmentation, without trace of brownish coloration; b) the inflated, very large dorsal and lateral cortical cells, forming a distinct hyaloderm; and c) the often connivent leaf lobes. The description above is adapted and modified from Schuster (1974a, 2002a).
