Brevianthus flavus (Grolle) J. J. Engel & R. M. Schust. subsp. flavus Phytologia 47: 318. 1981

Renner, Matt A. M., Engel, John J., Patzak, Simon D. F. & Heinrichs, Jochen, 2015, A new species of Brevianthus (Brevianthaceae, Marchantiophyta) from New Caledonia with unusual underleaf production, PhytoKeys 50, pp. 43-60 : 46-49

Brevianthus flavus (Grolle) J. J. Engel & R. M. Schust. subsp. flavus Phytologia 47: 318. 1981 Figures 3 , 4

Basionym: Jackiella flava Grolle, Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 33: 222. 1970.

Type.

Tasmania, Recherche Bay, Catamaran, 14 Jan 1911, W.A. Weymouth 1232 as Jamesoniella occlusa , holotype: NY.

For a full description of Brevianthus flavus see Engel and Schuster (1982).

Distribution and ecology.

Brevianthus flavus subsp. flavus is widespread on the wetter western, south-western and southern sectors of Tasmania, between 300 and 900 m altitude where it occurs in a wide variety of habitat types encompassed by this altitudinal range. Brevianthus flavus occurs within or on the margins of a wide variety of forest types, for example riparian scrub dominated by Leptospermum J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Acacia Mill. and Banksia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., with dense thicket of Bauera Banks ex Andrews on alluvial terrace in a gully with south-easterly aspect at Condominium Creek, or montane forest of Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst., Eucryphia Cav., Arthrotaxis Endl., Atherosperma Labill. and Richea dracophylla R.Br. with broken canopy to 8 m tall on a ridge with southerly aspect on Mt Dundas. The species also occurs in subalpine and alpine scrub such as that dominated by Eucalyptus L’Hér., Sprengelia Sm., Leucopogon , Banksia , Orites R.Br. and Gymnoschoenus Nees as at Mount Eliza, and dominated by Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R.Br., Richea and Nothofagus Blume at Mount Hesperus. Brevianthus flavus is for most part an epiphyte on tree trunks, including Banksia , Lagarostrobos Quinn, and Nothofagus . It sporadically occurs as a lithophyte on rock outcrops where it may inhabit crevices or sides sheltered by surrounding vegetation. It co-occurs with a wide variety of species, including Acromastigum cavifolium R.M.Schust., Frullania Raddi spp., Heteroscyphus Schiffn. spp., Radula multiamentula E.A.Hodgs. on rocks; Bazzania Gray, Schistochila Dumot. spp., Lepidolaena brachyclada (Lehm. ex Lehm.) Trevis., Lepidozia ulothrix ( Schwägr.) Lindenb., Schistochila pinnatifolia (Hook.) Trevis., Radula spp., Acromastigum cavifolium , Acrobolbus cinerascens (Lehm. & Lindenb.) Schiffn., Acrobolbus ochrophyllus (Hook.f. & Taylor) R.M.Schust., Frullania etc on trunks of Nothofagus cunninghamii .

Conservation status.

Brevianthus flavus subsp. flavus appears widely distributed in western and southern Tasmania, however collecting and survey effort to date provides insufficient basis for an accurate appraisal of the species’ threat status. We therefore recommend Brevianthus flavus subsp. flavus be regarded as Data Deficient pending a more informed assessment.

Specimens examined.

Australia, Tasmania, West: Highway B28, east of Mt Murchison, Quinn Creek, 41°50'S, 145°37'E, 600 m, 20 Feb 1998, J.E. Braggins 98064B, AK255753; West Coast: Mount Dundas Regional Reserve, Mount Dundas, track to summit from south, 41°54'32"S, 145°28'3 2"E, 845 m, M.A.M. Renner 6008 & E.A. Brown, NSW855958; South West: Serpentine River valley, south of the Gordon River, just below the dam, 42°47'S, 145°57'E, 300m, 18 Feb 1998, J.E. Braggins 98052A, AK255728; South West Conservation Area: Mount Eliza, Condominium Creek, 42°57'22"S, 146°21'56"E, 350 m, 23 Jan 2012, M.A.M. Renner 5927 & E.A.Brown, NSW895251; Mount Eliza, unnamed catchment S of Mount Anne track, 42°57'45"S, 146°23'32"E, 860 m, 22 Jan 2012, M.A.M. Renner 5898 & E.A.Brown, NSW892112; Arthur Range, Mount Hesperus, S of track to summit at top of hill, 43°06'41"S, 146°13'9"E, 820 m, 24 Jan 2012, M.A.M. Renner 5958, NSW880771.

Figures

Figure 3. Brevianthus flavus subsp. flavus: A lateral view of shoot B dorsal view of shoot C habitus D ventral view of shoot E-I leaves dissected and flattened J leaf apex K abaxial leaf cell surface L leaf margin at apex. All from NSW 892112. Scale: 500 µm (A, B, E-I); 3000 µm (C); 1000 µm (D); 200 µm (J); 50 µm (K, L).

Figure 4. Brevianthus flavus subsp. flavus: A leaf apex scale B cells below apex on abaxial leaf surface scale C abaxial leaf surface at mid-leaf scale D abaxial leaf surface scale E adaxial leaf surface F adaxial leaf surface detail. All from NSW 89112. Scale: 60 µm (A); 40 µm (B); 20 µm (C, F); 10 µm (D).