Species

Gigaspermum repens

Etymology

repens: from Latin repere meaning to creep, means creeping

Common Name(s)

moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Range Restricted

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Qualifiers

2009 - SO

Authority

Gigaspermum repens (Hook.) Lindb.,

Family

Gigaspermaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Moss

Synonyms

Anictangium repens Hook.; Leptangium repens Mitt.

Distribution

Indigenous. South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. In New Zealand known from a few sites in the North (Hawkes Bay and Ruahine Range), South (Oamaru) Stewart and Chatham Islands

Features

Autoicous, terricolous, minute moss. Stems creeping, buried, producing minute, mostly fertile tufts, up to 5 mm tall, barren tufts inconspicuous, fertile tufts conspicuous. Leaves on sterile stems spreading; lamina whitish-green; suborbicular to orbicular, apiculate; on fertile stems slightly larger, imbricating, ovate, narrowed into a long, slender acuminate apex; margins entire; nerve absent. Capsule urceolate, sessile, sunk amongst colourless to white, scariose, perichaetial leaves; capsule mouth very wide, closed by a fine membrane; Spores very large up to 130 microns diameter; orange, multi-tangled and finely papillose. Male inflorescences usually axillary below female, antheridia with filiform paraphyses.

Fruiting

Although fruit has been seen insufficient information exists to provide any details on the timing of fruiting

Threats

Not Threatened. Listed because it qualifies as Range Restricted within the New Zealand part of its range.

This page last updated on 25 Jul 2014