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tasmanian liverworts - lepidoziaceae
lepidozia 171221C (#200)
1. Lepidozia 171221C with sporophytes
There is only one Lepidozia known from Tasmania having upright growth and bi-pinnate branching - L. pendulina; our specimen shares these features but does not match literature description in Engel & Glenny¹ or the recently described species L. bragginsiana²
This formed a mat over forest debris along a shaded walking track (pix 8) in myrtle forest mixed with celery top pine, Tasmanian pepperberry and tea tree. Bryophytes nearby include Polytrichaceae, Dicranoloma, Sphagnum, Papillaria flavo-limbata, Ptychomnion aciculare, Schistochila lehmanniana and Gackstroemia weindorferi.
Growth is upright to c. 55x10 mm with ventral secund branching. Weaker shoots were uni-pinnate but the more vigorous shoots were bi-pinnate with flagellate branches extending up to 20 mm or so.
Main stems looked denuded of leaf but in fact they were small, distant and appressed to the stem (pix 7). Branching was Frullania type with bifid half leaves. Stem leaves as well as half leaves had a border of smaller cells on the margins. Branch leaves were more conspicious and spread out from the stem (pix 6). Dorsal lobes appeared to be paired and the ventral lobe appeared to point outwards. Lobes terminated in 3-4 uniseriate cells (pix 4). Sinus to base cell count at dorsal end was about twice that on ventral side. Stem underleaf disk ranged from 4-6 cells.
Stem cells are strongly differenciated with thin walled medullary cells and thick walled cortical cells; (3)4-6(7) botyrodial oil bodies on median cells
Androecia were mainly terminal on primary and secondary branches with some on short ventral intercallary branches off main stems and branches. Gynoecia was not sighted in the December collection but perianths were present in small quantities on material collected mid September.
Trigones present; rhizoids present at nodes on flagellate ends with leaves reduced or absent.
Many of the androecial bracts were home to what looked like nematodes.
 2. habitat |
 3. turf |
 4. shoot |
 5. branch |
 6. stem leaf |
 7. stem underleaf |
 8. branch leaf |
 9. leaf cells |
 10. androecia |
 11. perianth |
 12. elater and spores |
Specimens have been lodged at HO.
References
¹Engel, J.J. & Glenny, D., A Flora of the Liverworts and
Hornworts of New Zealand, Vol 1,
p. 213-219;
ISBN 978-1-930723-67-2
²Cooper, E.D. & Renner, M.A.M., 2014, Lepidozia
bragginsiana, a new species from New Zealand
(Marchantiopsida). Phytotaxa 173 (2): 117–126
Page URL: https://www.bluetier.org/Liverwort2/lepidozia-171221C.htm