save the Blue Tier
tasmanian liverworts - jungermanniaceae
lophozia sp.
1. habit
Lophozia species are predominantly a northern hemisphere liverwort with several species recorded from New Zealand. Only two species are reported for Tasmania, L. androgyna and L. tasmanica. Lacking a key to the species we have to make do with brief descriptions and temporary labels for the present.
Our first specimen (111127, pix 5-7) was relatively large with a stem diameter of 0.12 mm and had underleaves with teeth on the outside margins and 5-6 cells at base of underleaf lobes (pix 6). Leaf cells on the disks had 2-3 granular oil bodies. It was growing mixed with other bryophytes on a Nothofagus c. in the shade at an altitude of 750m.
The second specimen (120819B, pix 1-4) was a much smaller plant with stems a scant 30 µm across and had margins entire on the underleaves; this had only 2 cells at the base of underleaf lobes. There were 2-5(-9) granular oil bodies on the leaf disks. It was growing almost as a pure population on a Leptospermum tree a couple of hundred meters from where the first specimen was growing.
Engel & Glenny1 and Schuster2 discuss this genus extensively in their books but these have not been very helpful in determining the identity of local liverworts.
 2. leaves |
 3. leaf cells |
 4. shoot |
 5. leaves |
 6. underleaf |
 7 cells |
References
- Engel, J.J. & Glenny, D., A Flora of the Liverworts and Hornworts
of New Zealand: Volume 1 p. 645-66
- Schuster, RM, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North
America, Vol II, p. 252-638
Page URL: http://www.bluetier.org/Liverwort2/lophozia.htm