Species

Dicranella temperata

Common Name(s)

moss

Current Conservation Status

2009 - Data Deficient

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

Authority

Dicranella temperata Allison

Family

Dicranaceae

Flora Category

Non Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Moss

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island (Lake Te Anau)

Features

Dioicous, minute, densely tufted saxicolous moss. Tufts yellow-green above, brown below. Stems 5-6 mm tall, simple or sparingly branched, radiculose in the lower part. Leaves up to 2 mm long and 0.3 mm wide at base, crisped when dry, spreading when moist, crowded above, concave, from a widened non-sheathing ligulate base; lamina obtuse or acute, apex usually rounded; margin entire, plane or recurved to one side. Nerve about 60 microns wide at base, narrow and indistinct in the subula, failing well below apex. Cells incrassate or with firm walls, smooth, rather turgid above; those of the subula about 10 microns, usually quadrate, those below shortly rectangular, 2-3 x 1. Perichaetial bracts with much wider base. Seta c.10 mm long, erect and symmetrical, slightly plicate when dry, narrowly elliptic, with a tapered neck, annulate; stomata wanting. Peristome teeth inserted slightly below rim, red, short, c.140 microns long, irregularly divided in the upper portion, smooth, not striolate. Operculum about 1/2 the length of capsule; beak curved. Calyptra hooded, smooth. covering the capsule. Male inflorescence terminal, gemmiform with short bracts.

Fruiting

Unknown

Threats

Not known. This species has been very rarely collected and does seem to be genuinely uncommon if not biologically sparse. Until further locatiosn are discovered an accurate conservation assessment would, at this stage be impractical.

This page last updated on 25 Jul 2014