Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae var. novae-seelandiae Broth., Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 41: 594 (1916)

Wolski, Grzegorz J., Latoszewski, Mikolaj, Cargill, D. Christine & Buck, William R., 2024, Re-assessment of type material of Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae Broth. and descriptions of four new Plagiothecium taxa (Bryophyta, Plagiotheciaceae) from Australasia, PhytoKeys 238, pp. 95-117 : 95

Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae var. novae-seelandiae Broth., Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 41: 594 (1916)

Type.

New Zealand, Kelly's Range , Kelly’s Creek, on dripping rocks, and at top of Otira Gorge, 2830 ft., damp rocks in scrub, leg. T. W. Naylor Beckett. Lectotype (selected by Ireland 1992) : New Zealand, Mosses of Westland , Damp rocks in scrub at top of Otira Gorge, 2830 ft, Plagiothecium Novae Seelandiae Broth., leg. T. W. Naylor Beckett 918, 11 Feb. 1903 (H3301105, available online!). Isolectotypes: (CHR534780p.p.!, PC0132645!, NY322492!, NY322493!). Syntypes : New Zealand, Mosses of Westland , Kelly's Creek , Kelly’s Range, on dripping rocks, Plagiothecium Novae Seelandiae Broth., leg. T. W. Naylor Beckett 996, 3 Feb. 1903 (CHR534781!, PC0132644p.p.!, PC0132646!, DUKE156811, S-B160226, UC1911437) .

Description.

Plants medium size, green, with metallic luster, forming rather dense mats, complanate-foliate; stems 4-6 cm long, in cross-section rounded, 300-350 μm in diameter, the central strand well-developed; leaves asymmetrical, not overlapping on the stem to slightly imbricate, rather flat to undulate, sometimes one side of the leaf flat or folded over the rest of the leaf, leaves from the middle of stem 1.7-2.2 μm long and the width measured at the widest point 1.0-1.5 mm; the apex acute and denticulate; costae two, rather thick and strong, extending usually to ½ of the leaf length; laminal cells more or less symmetrical, the length and width variable but dependent on location: 110-140 × 10 μm at apex, 100-130 × 12-17 μm at midleaf, and 75-150 × 17.5-20 μm toward insertion; due to the wide cells, cell areolation loose; decurrency of 3-5 rows of rounded and inflated cells, forming distinct auricles, 200 μm long. Sporophytes 2.5-4.0 cm long, setae reddish-orange; capsules horizontal, 1.7-2.8 × 0.7-1.0 mm (Fig. 4 ); sexual condition unknown.

Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae var. novae-seelandiae types were recorded from New Zealand, Kelly’s Range, Kelly’s Creek (CHR534781!, PC0132644p.p.!, PC0132646!, DUKE156811, S-B160226, UC1911437) and at top of Otira Gorge (H3301105, available online!, CHR534780p.p.!, PC0132645!, NY322492!, NY322493!), on dripping rocks (H3301105, available online!, CHR534780p.p.!, PC0132645!, NY322492!, NY322493!, CHR534781!, PC0132644p.p.!, PC0132646!, DUKE156811, S-B160226, UC1911437), damp rocks in scrub (H3301105, available online!, CHR534780p.p.!, PC0132645!, NY322492!, NY322493!).

Figures

Figure 4. Selected taxonomic features of Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae var. novae-seelandiae A shape and dimensions of leaves B serrate leaf apex C dimensions and shape of cells from middle part of the leaf D decurrency (from the type material of P. novae-seelandiae PC 0132644 p. p.!, photo. G. J. Wolski, November 21, 2021).