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tasmanian liverworts - jungermanniaceae
anastrophyllum schismoides
Anastrophyllum schismoides
A single stem came in with small quantities of Jamesoniella colorata, Cuspidatula monodon and a Lepidozia growing on an exposed boulder at 780m altitude. It is probably not a common species here but not easy to distinguish in the field when mixed with other bryophytes.
This is one of the few liverwort species that seems to prefer exposure to light and is reported to be shade intolerant.
Looking through the literature we were intrigued to discover conflicting reports about this liverwort.
Substrate:
a) Meagher reports this as an epiphyte in his Victorian key
b) Engel & Glenny state this is usually found growing on soil in
New Zealand with only one record of it as growing on a tree
c) as stated above, our specimen was a lithophyte, growing on rock
leading us to conclude that this is a little studied species that has
a wide range of substrates.
We are reserving our opinion on these differences until we examine more populations.
Literature
- Engel, J.J. & Glenny, D., A Flora of the Liverworts and
Hornworts of New Zealand, Vol 1, p. 673-685; ISBN 978-1-930723-67-2
- Meagher, D. 'Studies on Victorian bryophytes 5. Key to leafy
liverworts' in Victorian
Naturalist Vol. 123(4) August 2006 pp 236-247
- University of Tasmania page on Anastrophyllum
Page URL: http://www.bluetier.org/Liverwort/anastrophyllum-schismoides.htm