FloraOfNewZealand-Mosses-25-Fife-2015-Pleurophascaceae
The Pleurophascaceae are a monogeneric family restricted to temperate Australasia. The genus Pleurophascum includes three species. The New Zealand representative, P. ovalifolium, occurs from the vicinity of Mt Arthur (Nelson L.D.) southwards to Fiordland (Southland L.D.) on the western coast of the South I. The other two Pleurophascum species are endemics of Tasmania and Western Australia. Partly because of its unique capsule morphology, the genus is famous in the annals of Australasian bryology. The 19th century Scandinavian bryologist S.O. Lindberg, considered Pleurophascum to be “of no less interest to the Muscologist than is Rafflesia or Welwitschia to the Phanerogamist.” The capsules are exceedingly large, inoperculate, and often brightly coloured. Although the N.Z. taxon was initially described in 1952 as a variety of the Tasmanian P. grandiglobum, it has more recently been accorded species rank. Pleurophascum ovalifolium has discoid and bright red to orange-red capsules up to 12 mm diameter, in contrast to the globose, dull or brown-orange, and consistently smaller capsules of its Tasmanian congener. Nearly all fruiting material of P. ovalifolium is from a restricted area encompassing the vicinity of Westport and Greymouth, the Stockton and Denniston plateaux, and the Paparoa Range. It is a species of wetlands, particularly cushion bogs and pākihi. Only sterile fragments of Pleurophascum have been seen from Stewart I. and these suggest that Stewart I. material may be taxonomically distinct from South I. populations.
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| Last updated | 9 December 2015 |
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