Tuatara: Volume 12, Issue 3, November 1964

Revised Key to the Moss Genera in New Zealand

by K. W. Allison
9 Delta Street, Dunedin

This Key includes all the 175 moss genera known to grow in New Zealand, whether native or introduced and is based on Sainsbury's Handbook of the New Zealand Mosses, published as Bulletin No. 5 by the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1955. This excellent manual gives full descriptions of all our native mosses and mentions the introduced species and should be consulted by users of this key. Two lapses in it, however, should be mentioned: on page 23, line 6 from the bottom should have the ‘not’ deleted from before ‘penetrating’ and figure 1, plate 74 on page 459 represents Rhacopilum strumiferum, not Ctenidium pubescens as stated. For descriptions of some New Zealand mosses published since 1955 see Allison (1960, 1963).

The Handbook gives a conspectus of the classification of our mosses, showing the disposition of the genera into Families. Orders, Clans and Classes and as well, descriptions of all these divisions have been included in the text, so it has not been considered necessary to repeat them here.

Notes following this key give information about two genera added to our flora since the Handbook was published and information on other genera. Genera so discussed are marked with an asterisk in the key.

Acknowledgment

I am grateful to Dr. G. A. M. Scott, of Otago University, for constructive criticism of the Key and for some corrections.

Key

1	Gametophyte a very small bulb of leaves from a persistent protonema	— 2
	Gametophyte normal and leafy, growing from a protonema which soon disappears	— 3
2	Protonema extensive, brownish, growing on bark or twigs; resembling an alga. About 2mm. high	Ephemeropsis
	Protonema sparse, on earth or rock. Seta about 2cm. high	Buxbaumia page 158
3	Branch-leaf cells of two kinds—long narrow chlorophyllose cells anastomosing to mark off large hyaline cells with spiral thickenings which may partly or wholly enclose the chlorophyllose cells. Whitish or greenish-white plants in bogs or on wet ground.	Sphagnum
	Leaf-cells of two kinds — small median cells are totally enclosed by at least one layer above and one layer below of large hyaline cells except for a few rows at the margin. Leaves sometimes in 5 distinct rows. Forms whitish or whitish-green cushions on earth, logs or roots.	Leucobryum
	Leaf cells never so arranged	— 4
4	Capsules opening by 4 longitudinal slits in the walls. Forming small blackish or reddish patches on montane rocks or sometimes longer and brownish on wet rocks or submerged in mountain streams.	Andreaea
	Capsules never opening by regular lateral slits	— 5
5	Leaves distichously inserted	— 6
	Leaves inserted in 3 or more rows on the stem (but may be flattened into one plane, i.e. complanate)	— 12
6	Leaf base double and vaginant on the upper side; on earth	Fissidens
	Leaf base not doubled	— 7
7	Leaves vaginant owing to the folding together of the two halves of the leaves	— 8
	Leaves flat or merely concave	— 9
8	Light green colour; leaves acute with short recurved mucro. On earth or rock	Catagonium
	Leaves with a metallic sheen, obtuse. On bark	Orthorrhynchium
9	Leaves oblong, longly piliferous and crenulate: seta lateral. On tree fern trunks. (Leaves more usually multifarious)	Hymenodon p.p.
	Leaves not piliferous	— 10
10	Leaves vertically inserted and decurrent down the stem	Mittenia
	Leaves not decurrent	— 11
11	Leaf base sheathing; margins entire	Distichium
	Leaf base not sheathing; margins dentate or thickened	Rhizogonium p.p.
12	Leaves clearly inserted in 3(-5) rows on the stem	— 13
	Leaves not in obvious rows	— 20page 159
13	Leaves all similar, in 3 spiral rows	— 14
	Leaves all similar, in 5 rows	Conostomum p.p.
	Leaves not spirally aranged; one row usually of different size and shape	— 15
14	Leaves unaltered when dry, conspicuously tristichous; papillae high, most bifid	Triquetrella
	Leaves twisted round the stem when dry, obscurely tristichous; papillae low, unbranched	*Anomodon
15	Two rows (simulating one row) of leaves on the upper stem face; two lateral rows. Seta lateral	Rhacopilum
	Third row of leaves on the underside of the stem	— 16
16	Leaves strikingly ciliate and hence hoary. Stems and branches with bristles.	Catharomnion
	Leaves not ciliate	— 17
17	Robust (usually 4-10 cm. high); unbranched or rarely forked, with capsules hidden on under side of fronds. Leaves dentate above.	Cyathophorum
	Branched plants or if not. then smaller with terminal seta and entire leaves	— 18
18	Seta terminal; leaf margins neither dentate nor bordered	Calomnion
	Seta lateral; leaf margins bordered and dentate	— 19
19	Stems erect, pinnately branched from the base. Nerve almost reaching the apex or excurrent. Seta papillose	Lopidium
	Branches crowded together at the stem apex in a flabellate or umbrella-like manner. Nerve shorter. Seta smooth	Hypopterygium
20	Leaves bearing gemmae on part at least of the upper face of nerve, or else young leaves shed the nerve-ending as a gemma	— 21
	Leaves without gemmae	— 24
21	Gemmae in the form of filaments; very small and rare plants	— 22
	Gemmae more or less rounded clumps of cells	— 23
22	Leaf margins reflexed. Filaments on only the upper part of the nerve	Crossidium
	Leaf margin widely involute; filaments covering most of the nerve and lamina	Aloina page 160
23	Leaves oblong-lanceolate or elliptic; bordered	Calyptopogon
	Leaves obovate or spathulate; not bordered	Tortula p.p.
24	Leaves strongly rugose or undulate	— 25
	Leaves not so or only at the margin	— 27
25	Leaves large, 6-10 mm. long	Eucamptodon
	Leaves shorter, to 3 mm. long	— 26
26	Leaves prolonged into a short or long hair point; leaves not spreading complanately	Lepyrodon p.p.
	Leaves obtuse or acute but without hair point; leaves complanate	Neckera p.p.
27	Upper surface of nerve at least, and often much of lamina covered with longitudinal lamellae	— 28
	No lamellae on nerve or upper leaf face	— 34
28	Our tallest moss; erect unbranched. 30-40 cm. high with leaves 20-35 mm. long	Dawsonia
	May be nearly as tall or much shorter with a simple trunk dendroidly branched above; leaves 5-12 mm. long	Dendroligotrichum
	Smaller plants, simple OF sparingly branched. Peristome teeth short with a circular membrane stretching between their tips	— 29
29	Lamellae few (3-10) or very indistinct	— 30
	Lamellae more numerous	— 31
30	Leaves unbordered, entire	Oligotrichum
	Leaves bordered, spinose-dentate	Atrichum
31	Calyptra naked or nearly so	— 32
	Calyptra densely hairy	— 33
32	Capsule terete	Psilopilum
	Capsule 2-angled, the upper side concave, the lower side rounded	Polytrichadelphus
33	Capsule terete, without apophysis or stomata	Pogonatum
	Capsule angled (except in P. alpinum), with apophysis and stomata	Polytrichum
34	Leaves with long hyaline points or with the nerve excurrent in a hair point	— 35page 161
	Leaves without hyaline or hair points	— 57
35	Nerve reaching at least ¾ way up the leaf	— 43
	Nerve none or reaching less than ¾ way up the leaf	— 36
36	Nerve none or short and double	— 39
	Nerve single and reaching 1/3-1/2 way up the leaf	— 37
37	Leaves about 1 mm. long from a widened amplexicaul base tapered to a long point.^* Genus doubtful but referred to the Fabroniaceae
	Leaves ovate to lanceolate	— 38
38	Leaves 1.5 mm. long; margins entire	Ischyrodon
	Leaves 0.40-0.75 mm. long; margins almost entire to very serrate	Fabronia
39	Leaf margins entire; cells papillose	Aulacopilum
	Some leaves at least with upper margins denticulate	— 40
40	Capsule immersed; leaf apex as well as point hyaline	Hedwigia p.p.
	Capsule exserted; only the point hyaline	— 41
41	Cells not forming a distinct alar group; leaves deeply plicate	Lepyrodon p.p.
	Cells forming a distinct alar group; leaves not plicate	— 42
42	Alar cells a small dark group	Camptochaete p.p.
	Alar cells a group of 2-3 large swollen hyaline cells	Acanthocladium
43	Alar cells forming a distinct group	— 44
	Alar cells not forming a distinct group	— 46
44	Marginal leaf cells long and narrow forming a conspicuous border	Dicnemoloma
	Leaves without such a border	— 45
45	Seta when wet flexuous or cygneous	Campylopus p.p.
	Seta straight and erect	Dicranum p.p.
46	Leaf lamina hyaline at apex; nerve (apparently) vanishing below the apex	— 47
	Leaf lamina not hyaline above	— 49
47	Basal leaf cells very long and narrow, nodulose (strongly thickened and waved)	Rhacomitrium p.p.
	Basal leaf cells not nodulose, at most sinuouse only	— 48
48	Calyptra plicate	Coscinodon page 162
	Calyptra smooth	Grimmia p.p.
49	Capsule immersed	Cryphaea p.p.
	Capsule exserted	— 50
50	Capsule inclined to nodding	Bryum p.p.
	Capsule erect or nearly so	— 51
51	Nerve yellow or yellowish green; upper part sometimes hyaline. Peristome well developed	Barbula p.p.
	Nerve yellow excurrent in long hair point. Peristome almost wanting	Leptostomum p.p.
	Nerve not yellow	— 52
52	Peristome long and twisted	Tortula p.p.
	Peristome much shorter or wanting	— 53
53	Nerve slightly widened toward the apex, excurrent in a long flexuose arista, hyaline at its apex	Desmatodon p.p.
	Nerve otherwise	— 54
54	Forming mats on trees or rocks. Stems creeping with crowded short erect branches. Two species may have piliform aristas with hyaline tips	Macromitrium p.p.
	Plants without creeping primary stems	— 55
55	On bark or rock forming large corky tufts through the matting of the stems by red-brown tomentum. Peristome wanting or very rudimentary	Leptostomum p.p.
	Stems not densely matted together; peristome present	— 56
56	On decayed animal or vegetable matter. Leaves spathulate or obovate	Tayloria
	On bark or rock in mats: leaves elliptic oblong	Hymenodon p.p.
57	Base or all of leaf margins bordered with narrow or very small cells differing from the inner cells, or with a thickened margin	— 58
	Leaves not so bordered	— 77
58	Leaf margins thickened	— 59
	Leaf margins with an unthickened border	— 60
59	Capsules terminal, immersed. On bark	Cryptopodium
	Capsules exserted, lateral: on earth, rarely on bark	Rhizogonium p.p.page 163
60	Nerve O or double and short	Eriopus
	Nerve reaching at least to 1/3 way up leaf	— 61
61	Nerve ceasing some way below the apex	— 62
	Nerve reaching apex or nearly so or excurrent	— 64
62	Leaves linear-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate	Daltonia
	Leaves broader	— 63
63	Leaves tender and fleshy, more or less orbicular and obtuse with all the margin bordered; not papillose	Distichophyllum p.p.
	Leaves of firmer texture, broadest at base and acute or mucronate, bordered only at base; leaf cells papillose	Papillaria
64	Alar cells well developed and distinct	— 65
	Alar cells not distinctive	— 67
65	Leaves erecto-patent and crisped when dry with strongly undulate margins; capsules immersed	Mesotus
	Leaves little altered when dry, margins not or little undulate; capsules exserted (except in Dicranoloma menziesii)	— 66
66	Seta cygneous, calyptra usually fringed at base	Campylopus p.p.
	Seta erect or nearly so; calyptra not fringed; nerve usually narrower	Dicranoloma pp.
67	Seta lateral (pleurocarpous mosses)	— 68
	Seta terminal (acrocarpous mosses)	— 69
68	Margin throughout consisting of several rows of long and narrow cells	Bellia
	Marginal cells in lower half of the lamina forming up to 15 rows of isodiametrical cells in marked contrast to the longer inner cells	Crytopus
69	Peristome wanting	— 70
	Peristome present	— 72
70	Capsules pyriform or turbinate; leaves obovate to spathulate	Phycomitrium p.p.
	Capsules cylindrical to oblong; leaves oblong-lanceolate, occasionally some upper leaves spathulate	— 71
71	Leaf margins entire but rough with papillae	Encalypta p.p.
	Leaf margin denticulate at the apex	Pottia p.p.page 164
72	Capsules erect, symmetrical or nearly so	— 75
	Capsules inclined, hanging or asymmetrical	— 73
73	Capsules strongly arcuate	Funaria p.p.
	Capsules straight or only slightly curved	— 74
74	Leaves large, 6-7 mm., tender and shrivelled when dry, rounded or retuse at apex; capsules horizontal to pendent, broadly ovate to oblong	Mnium
	Leaves mostly less than 4 mm. long, of firmer texture; narrowed to the apex; capsules horizontal to pendent, clavate to pyriform	Bryum p.p.
75	Leaf apex rounded, obtuse and cucullate; nerve failing below the apex	Tridontium
	Leaf apex acute: nerve reaching the apex	— 76
76	Leaf margin continuous to the apex; cells strongly papillose	Tortula p.p.
	Leaf margin of narrow thin-walled cells, broader at base and gradually narrowing to cease about half-way up the base	Pseudodistrichium
77	Alar cells not distinctly developed	— 110
	Alar cells more or less distinctly developed, forming a group differing from adjacent cells in size, form or in the thicker or thinner cell walls	— 78
78	Leaf nerve O or short (to 1/3 way up the leaf), single or double and often faint	— 79
	Leaf nerve single, reaching at least half-way up the leaf	— 92
79	Capsule exserted	— 80
	Capsule immersed or emergent	Dicnemon p.p.
80	A swamp moss with large terminal globular yellow capsule with operculum not differentiated; leaves closely appressed when dry	Pleurophascum
	Capsules with dehiscent opercula	— 81
81	Leaves deeply plicate, the bluntly acuminate apex sharply recurved	Cladomnion
	Leaf apex not sharply recurved	— 82
82	Leaves straight or very little recurved	— 86
	Leaves curved to circinate	— 83
83	Capsules pendulous, symmetrical, oblong; alar cells present but extremely delicate and can be missed. Known definitely only from Kermadec Is.	*Ectropotheciumpage 165
	Capsules erect to horizontal	— 84
84	Alar cells about 3 inflated hyaline cells with thin walls	Sematophyllum p.p.
	Alar cells forming a small dark group of darker cells with thickened walls	— 85
85	Seta 2-8 mm. long	Camptochaete p.p.
	Seta 2-3 cm. long	Hypnum
86	Leaves obtuse; alar cells large and hyaline with thin cell walls	Acrocladium p.p.
	Leaves obtuse: alar cells forming dark coloured auricles of small thick-walled cells	Weymouthia
	Leaves acute	87
87	Leaves narrow lingulate to lanceolate, 2-3.5 mm. long. Water mosses	Drepanocladus p.p.
	Leaves not lingulate: not water mosses	— 88
88	Leaves, especially the lateral, asymmetrical	— 89
	Leaves symmetrical	— 90
89	Nerve double, very short and faint	Hampeella
	Nerve double, unevenly forked and reaching to about 1 3 way up the lamina: alars weakly formed or almost wanting	Plagiothecium
90	Leaf margins denticulate above	Glyphothecium p.p.
	Leaf margins sharply denticulate throughout	Ctenidium
	Leaf margins hardly or not dentate	— 91
91	Leaves erecto-patent. ovate to ovate-lanceolate; capsules 1-1.75 mm. long	Sematophyllum p.p.
	Leaves imbricate, erecto-patent, oblong-ovate; capsules cylindrical, 3.5.4.5 mm. long	Entodon
	Leaves squarrose. the lamina spreading rather rigidly from the stem, elongate lanceolate, capsule 2-3.5 mm. long	Campylium p.p.
92	Seta terminal (acrocarpous mosses)	— 93
	Seta lateral (pleurocarpous mosses)	— 99
93	Plants dark coloured, almost black below, on rock or in streams. Capsules small, subglobose, blackish, wide-mouthed	Blindia page 166
	Plants normally coloured, capsules cylindrical to oval. On rock, wood or earth	— 94
94	Lamina extending only to half-way up the leaf	*Chorisodontium
	Lamina extending much further up the leaf	— 95
95	Seta cygneous; nerve broad	Campylopus p.p.
	Seta erect, may be flexuous; nerve usually narrow	— 96
96	Leaf base broad, suddenly narrowed to the subula	Holomitrium
	Leaf base more gradually narrowing	— 97
97	Capsule erect, symmetrical; peristome teeth not or scarcely vertically striate	Dicranoweisia
	Peristome teeth vertically striolate on dorsal face	— 98
98	Leaves not bordered	Dicranum p.p.
	Leaves with a narrow border of hyaline cells, frequently visible only at the base	*Dicranoloma p.p.
99	Capsules immersed or emergent; plants usually very free fruiters	Cryphaea p.p.
	Capsules exserted; some shy fruiters	— 100
100	Mountain mosses: all or at least some leaves showing a vinous-red or purple colour	Acrocladium p.p.
	Plants not so coloured	— 101
101	Leaves round and obtuse at the apex	— 102
	Leaves acute	— 103
102	Plants erect from a primary stem, dendroidly branched above	Climacium
	Plants prostrate or ascending, complanate with numerous short lateral branches	*Scleropodius
103	Leaves falcate-secund	— 104
	Leaves straight or only slightly curved	— 105
104	Seta papillose	*Chamberlainia p.p.
	Seta smooth	Drepanocladus p.p.
105	Operculum conical	— 106
	Operculum rostrate	— 108
106	Leaves not exceeding 1 mm. long, not plicate, may be slightly falcate-secund at branch tips	Cratoneuron page 167
	Leaves exceeding 1 mm. long, sometimes plicate	— 107
107	Leaves usually plicate, ± secund, small quadrate alar cells, erect capsules and smooth setae	*Chamberlainia p.p.
	Leaves usually smooth, not secund, alar cells lax or inflated, capsules never erect, setae papillose	Brachythecium
108	Seta smooth	Rhynchostegium
	Seta papillose	— 109
109	Leaves mostly dimorphous and more or less plicate; nerve often ending in a dorsal spicule	Eurhynchium
	Leaves neither dimorphous nor plicate; nerve never ending in a dorsal spicule: plants more slender	Rhynchostegiella
110	Seta terminal on the branch or stem, sometimes apparently lateral owing to innovations. Plants often short and little branched; or branches whorled or fascicled; or numerous short erect branches rise from a horizontal primary stem (acrocarpous mosses)	— 111
	Seta lateral, hence plants often long and straggly with pinnate or irregular branching (pleurocarpous mosses)	— 191
111	Peristome of only 4 solid persistent teeth; small mountain moss from fissures in old lava	Tetraphis
	Peristome nil or of more than 4 teeth, or capsule unknown	— 112
112	Leaves nerveless	— 113
	Leaves nerved	— 115
113	Minute plant, rarely 2 mm. high, not creeping; perichaetial leaves not closely sheathing the capsule	Sporledera
	Plant taller, primary stem creeping; perichaetial leaves closely sheathing the seta and capsule	— 114
114	Leaves orbicular, those on the upper fertile stems larger and whitish	Gigaspermum
	Leaves oblong-acute; perichaetial leaves not whitish	Dicnemon p.p.
115	Capsule cleistocarpous; minute plants on earth usually fruiting freely (in Archidium future findings likely to have capsules)	— 116
	Capsule stegocarpous, the operculum falling normally	— 121
116	Small; leaves broad in comal tufts closely investing the capsule	— 117
	Leaves narrower, not comose	— 118page 168
117	Stems 0.5-1.0 mm. high; nerve failing below the apex	Physcomitridium
	Stems 1-2 mm. high; nerve excurrent in a mucro	Acaulon
118	Capsules 1-2 to a stem: from swamps	Pseudephemerum
	Capsules only one to a stem	— 119
119	Leaf cells papillose: leaves when dry curled and contorted. with incurving margins	Astomum
	Leaf cells smooth; leaves not contorted when dry	— 120
120	Plants 2-5 mm. high, usually fruiting	Pleuridium
	Plants 1 cm. high. Found once only, sterile, on coastal rocks	Archidium
121	Capsule neck shorter or wanting or peristome double	— 122
	Capsule neck 1-1½ times as long as the capsule sac; peristome single	Trematoton
122	Plants with silky, setaceous leaves and glossy pyriform capsules of papery texture	Leptobryum
	Plants otherwise	— 123
123	Peristome absent	— 124
	Peristome present, of distinct teeth	— 135
124	Leaves when dry very regularly placed with incurved tips so that the leaf spiral insertion is well shown. Usually arboreal	Macromitrium p.p.
	Leaves crumpled or more normally disposed when dry; tips not strikingly incurved	— 125
125	Capsule with a red rim, not closed by a membrane: leaves lanceolate	Weissia p.p.
	Capsule rim not red, or if somewhat so, leaves minute or linear or capsule closed by a membrane	— 126
126	Exactly like Weissia in No. 125 but peristome mouth closed by an ephemeral membrane	Hymenostomum
	Peristome mouth not so closed	— 127
127	Calyptra very large, mitriform. enclosing the cylindrical capsule	Encalypta p.p.
	Calyptra smaller or cucullate	— 128
128	Forming dense cushions or matted masses; leaves linear-lanceolate or linear, minute	— 129page 169
	Plants may be crowded but do not form matted masses; leaves broader	— 130
129	Capsule exserted, smooth	Gymnostomum
	Capsule not reaching above the leaves, ribbed	Amphidium
130	Calyptra mitriform; leaves spathulate	Physcomitrium p.p.
	Calyptra cucullate; leaves narrower	— 131
131	Leaves obtuse	Hyophila
	Leaves acute or acuminate	—132
132	Small annual mosses with cells usually papillose, 4-6 sided with thin walls; peristome wanting or nearly so	Pottia p.p.
	Mostly perennial, cells smooth or only papillose above; peristome usually present	— 133
133	Capsule sulcate, peristome variable sometimes wanting	Zygodon p.p.
	Capsules not sulcate	— 134
134	Capsules globose: peristome teeth joined at their apices	Conostomum p.p.
	Capsules longer than broad: peristome teeth free	Funaria p.p.
135	Peristome single	— 136
	Peristome double	— 175
136	Plants of a glaucous, blue-green colour	Saelania
	Plants of a normal green colour	— 137
137	Leaves obtuse	— 138
	Leaves subacute to acuminate	— 147
138	Plants minute to 3 mm. tall but usually only 1.5 mm.; consisting of a brownish green bulbil of appressed leaves. Seta to 1 cm. long	Desmatodon p.p.
	Plants larger or if not, leaves not so closely appressed	— 139
139	Peristome long of 32 filiform mostly spirally twisted teeth	— 140
	Peristome of shorter mostly broader teeth, never twisted	— 141
140	Leaves with margins incurved above, cucullate at apex, nerve excurrent in a short mucro	Tortella p.p.
	Leaves with margins recurved or plane, not cucullate at apex, usually without point	Tortula p.p.
141	Leaves papillose above on the upper face	— 142
	Leaves smooth above on the upper face	— 143page 170
142	Densely tufted and matted with calcareous detritus on dripping rock faces: pale glaucous green	Eucladium
	Darker or yellowish-green	— 144
143	Capsule 8-ribbed	Zygodon p.p.
	Capsule smooth or only mouth plicate	Macromitrium p.p.
144	Found only on coastal rocks, not much above high tide level	Mulleriella p.p.
	Not found on coastal rocks	— 145
145	Leaves 1-1.25 mm. long	Didymodon
	Leaves 1.75-4.0 mm. long	— 146
146	Leaf base with clearly defined rounded auricles at the outside angles	*Scouleria
	Leaves not auriculate	Weissia p.p.
147	Capsule quite immersed	— 148
	Capsule emergent or exserted	— 150
148	Calyptra hairless	— 149
	Calyptra small, slightly pilose with short coarse hairs; a rare mountain moss	Bryodixonia
149	A rare moss from coastal rocks. Peristome pale	Muelleriella p.p.
	A common moss, on earth or rock or even submerged. Peristome deep red. Cells sinuose	Grimmia p.p.
150	Lower leaf cells long and very narrow with strongly thickened walls waved in outline (nodulose)	Rhacomitrium p.p.
	Cells not so thickened	— 151
151	Seta cygneous when moist, flexuose when dry: capsules ribbed. Calyptra not fringed	Campylopodium
	Seta straight when mature	— 152
152	Capsules ribbed or more or less angled when dry	— 153
	Capsules not ribbed	— 159
153	Capsules symmetrical and symmetrically placed on top of the seta when mature and dry	— 154
	Capsule asymmetrical and or asymmetrically placed on the seta when mature and dry	— 156
154	Nerve excurrent	Weissia p.p.page 171
	Nerve ceasing below the apex	—155
155	Upper leaf cells papillose	Zygodon p.p.
	Upper leaf cells smooth	Dicranella p.p.
156	Leaves with a broad sheathing base quite suddenly narrowed to the lamina	Bartramia
	Leaf bases not sheathing, more gradually narrowed to the lamina	—157
157	Leaves ovate to obovate-oblong; margins not recurved, entire	Funaria p.p.
	Leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; margins more or less recurved	—158
158	Capsule turgidly oval; leaf margins only partly recurved	Conostomum p.p.
	Capsules ovate-lanceolate; leaf margins all tightly recurved nearly to the apex	Ceratodon
159	Nerve greatly thickened in upper part and ending in a mucro	Desmatodon p.p.
	Nerve not thickened above	—160
160	Peristome of 16 teeth, deeply divided into 32 long twisted filiform segments	—161
	Peristome teeth shorter and broader, either entire or less deeply divided and not twisted	—163
161	Leaf margins incurved or plane, hyaline basal cells extending obliquely higher up the margin	Tortella p.p.
	Leaf margin usually recurved; maybe bordered but hyaline basal cells not extending obliquely higher at the margin	—162
162	Leaf margins closely recurved, entire; basal cells not greatly differentiated from those above, i.e. not lax and hyaline	Barbula p.p.
	Leaf margins plane, recurved or reflexed, entire or dentate above; basal cells larger and hyaline	Tortula p.p.
163	Only the inner peristome developed, of 16 narrowly linear articulated processes	Mielichhoferia
	Only the outer peristome developed, of linear, papillose or broader teeth	—164
164	Forming mats; primary stem creeping with closely packed, short, erect branches	Macromitrium p.p.page 172
	Plants without a creeping stem	—165
165	Leaves falcate-secund	—166
	Leaves straight or only slightly curved	—167
166	Leaves 1-2 mm. long	Ditrichum p.p.
	Leaves 3-3.75 mm. long	Wilsoniella
167	Leaves papillose	—168
	Leaves not papillose	—171
168	Leaves squarrose when moist	—169
	Leaves not squarrose	—170
169	Leaves undulate and serrate	Leptodontium
	Leaf margins entire and not undulate	Zygodon p.p.
170	Nerve percurrent; apex not apiculate	Cheilothela
	Nerve ceasing below the apex with a hyaline apiculus	Erythrobarbula
171	Calyptra mitriform: rock mosses	Ptychomitrium
	Calyptra cucullate	—172
172	Peristome teeth of filiform papillose segments	Ditrichum p.p.
	Peristome teeth lanceolate	—173
173	Leaves comparatively broad, oblong, ovate or obovate with lax cells	Funaria p.p.
	Leaves narrower	—174
174	Capsule with a distinct neck; as broad as high with a wide mouth	Seligeria
	Capsule neck not or only slightly developed; capsule much higher than broad, about 2 × 1	Dicranella p.p.
175	Leaves linear-sublate to lanceolate-subulate	—176
	Leaves broader	—177
176	Capsule lightly sulcate; leaves 3.5-5 mm. long	Orthodontium
	Capsule smooth; leaves 1-2 mm. long	Pohlia p.p.
177	Leaves papillose	—178
	Leaves not papillose	—180
178	Leaves more or less plicate from a sub-sheathing base	Breutelia
	Leaves not plicate and not sheathing at the base	—179
179	Nerve not reaching the apex; leaf margins narrowlypage 173
	revolute from the base to far up the lamina	Aulacomnium
	Nerve percurrent or excurrent: leaf margins somewhat recurved or plane	Philonotis
180	Capsule ribbed	—181
	Capsule not ribbed	—184
181	Capsule long, narrowly cylindrical, 3-4 mm. long; brood filaments common in upper leaf axils	Leptotheca
	Capsule more or less oval, smaller, to 2.5 mm. long	—182
182	Main stem creeping, branches short and erect; calyptra large smooth, neither plicate nor hairy, campanulate	Schlotheimia
	Stem not creeping: calyptra hairy or not	—183
183	Inner cells at leaf base strongly incrassate and differentiated from the outer cells; stomata at the base of the capsule	Ulota
	Inner cells at leaf base scarcely incrassate and little differentiated; stomata in the middle or upper part of the capsule	Orthotrichum p.p.
184	Seta from the base of the stem; capsule often asymmetrical and recurved, horizontal	Goniobryum
	Seta from the stem apex	—185
185	Capsule pyriform, variably curved and gibbous with a tapered neck; nerve very wide below, failing below the apex	Meesia
	Capsules straight or slightly curved	—186
186	Leaf cells in mid-leaf rounded or shortly oval	Orthotrichum p.p.
	Leaf cells rhomboid or rhomboid-hexagonal, to linear or vermicular	—187
187	Leaf cells usually elongated. 4 × 1 or longer; nerve mostly failing below the apex	Pohlia p.p.
	Leaf cells usually broader, less than 4 × 1; nerve often reaching the apex or percurrent	—188
188	Capsule erect or sub-erect; peristome more or less rudimentary, without cilia:	Brachymenium
	Capsule usually pendulous; processes normal	—189
189	Outer peristome teeth shorter than the processes; cilia rudimentary	Plagiobryum page 174
	Outer peristome teeth not shorter than the processes	Bryum p.p.
190	Robust dendroid mosses with creeping rhizomatous primary stems and woody secondary ones; cells elongate, prosenchymatous; capsules large, cylindrical; operculum rostrate	—191
	Less robust mosses; if with creeping woody primary stem, then capsules and cells otherwise	—194
191	Frond elongate, bipinnate, growing at right angles from tree trunks; branch leaves almost obtuse	Braithwaitea
	Branches in a close frond or whorled, leaves acute; usually on earth or logs	—192
192	Stipe naked; capsule smooth	Sciadocladus
	Capsule furrowed	—193
193	Stipes without marked tomentum; leaves mostly complanate, plane above	Hypnodendron
	Stipes tomentose; leaves crowded, not complanate, concave or channelled above	Mniodendron
194	Capsules immersed	—195
	Capsules exserted or almost so	—197
195	Nerve strong, reaching apex or shortly excurrent	Anoectangium
	Nerve wanting or reaching only to midleaf	—196
196	Leaves imbricate when dry, not complanate. Cells more or less papillose	Hedwigia p.p.
	Leaves complanately arranged; cells smooth	Neckera p.p.
197	Leaves more or less papillose	—189
	Leaves not at all papillose	—203
198	Leaves of harsh texture with long often red hair points; nerveless	Rhacocarpus
	Leaves without hair points, nerved except sometimes in Camptochaete	—199
199	Leaves from a very broad triangular base with inflexed finely denticulate basal auricles, lanceolate-subulate above	Papillaria
	Leaves without auricles at the base	—200
200	Secondary stems with numerous paraphyllia	Thuidium
	Stems without paraphyllia	—201
201	Leaves 0.5 mm. long, lingulate	Haplohymenium page 175
	Leaves not lingulate	—202
202	Yellow-green plants in dense intricate tufts; leaves ovate-oblong to obovate oblong	Camptochaete p.p.
	Dark or olive-green plants, neither densely nor intricately branched; leaves from ligulate-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate and longly setaceous	Echinodium p.p.
203	Capsule ribbed	—204
	Capsule smooth	—209
204	Leaves widely oblong or oval, very obtuse: stems with paraphyllia	Neckera p.p.
	Leaves more or less ovate or lanceolate and acute or with the apex sharply recurved: stems without paraphyllia	—205
205	Leaves rounded, apex not retuse: inner peristome wanting	Dichelodontium
	Leaves acute; inner peristome present	—206
206	Plants very small, on bushes, vines or occasionally on trees; gemmae globose in terminal clusters	Tetraphidopsis
	Plants larger; gemmae when present axillary in the upper leaves	—207
207	Capsule horizontal; leaves squarrose	Ptychomnion
	Capsules erect or suberect: leaves not squarrose	—208
208	Leaves deeply plicate with retuse recurved apices; robust plants	Cladomnion
	Leaves slightly plicate, acute: brood filaments short; plants less robust	Glyphothecium p.p.
	Leaves not plicate, asymmetrical; or polymorphous; brood filaments long: plants mostly slender and short	Hampeella
209	Stems and branches strongly enrolled when dry	Leptodon
	Stems and branches not enrolled	—210
210	Nerve O or weak and single, double or forked, not usually reaching mid-leaf	—211
	Nerve reaching mid-leaf or longer, single	—221
211	Stems with paraphyllia; leaves ovate-oblong; nerve double to mid-leaf. Mountain moss on earth	Hylocomium
	Stems without paraphyllia	—212page 176
212	Dendroidly branched above; lower stem leafless and woody	Camptochaete p.p.
	Stems not woody	—213
213	Leaves narrow, tapering to an acute apex; nerveless	—214
	Leaves broader, obtuse or narrowing rather suddenly to a short point	—215
214	Operculum conical; calyptra cucullate	Isopterygium
	Operculum conico-rostrate: calyptra mitriform	Sauloma
215	On trees; glossy, sometimes partly white; branches often bare at ends and densely clothed with brown septate brood filaments; capsule narrowly cylindrical	Trachyloma
	Plants otherwise	—216
216	Leaves concave, not much longer than broad, very rounded at apex, of firm or papery texture	Lembophyllum
	Leaves usually longer than broad, fleshy when fresh; not concave: fronds flattened	—217
217	Calyptra cucullate. Leaf cells not varying greatly in size except at the base, small (to 28 μ diameter in mid-leaf) with rather or much thickened walls	—219
	Calyptra mitriform. Mid-leaf cells much enlarged (40-120 μ diameter) with thin walls	—218
218	Calyptra lobed at base; nerve forked above in 2 of the 3 species	Pterygophyllum
	Calyptra fimbriate at base; nerve not forked at apex	Distichophyllum p.p.
219	Leaves with the lower margin inflexed on one side, not undulate	Homalia
	Leaves linear-oblong, strongly undulate, not with one side inflexed at the base	Porotrichum
220	Cells short in mid-leaf, oval to rhomboid, 2-5 × 1, leaves broad and short except in Echinodium	—221
	Cells narrow, 7-15 × 1	—224
221	Leaves squarrose, widely spreading with a lanceolate lamina from a cordate-ovate base	Cratoneuropsis
	Leaves not squarrosely spreading	—222
222	Sub-pinnately branched above, leaves complanate, spreading or suberect, widely oblong to elliptic-spathulate	Thamnium
	Leaves neither oblong nor complanate	—223page 177
223	Leaves when dry densely imbricated and erect, broadly ovate and acute	Pseudoleskea
	Leaves spreading when dry, not imbricated; either ovate-lanceolate and very longly acuminate or with the lamina broader	Echinodium p.p.
224	Leaves ovate-cordate, minutely and distantly denticulate almost throughout	Eriodon
	Leaves narrower, mostly ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, entire or denticulate at apex only	—225
225	Leaf cells in mid leaf somewhat narrow, 8-10 × 1; slender plants with leaves 1 mm. long	Amblystegium
	Rather more robust plants with narrower cells and longer leaves, 1-4 mm. long	—226
226	Leaf acumen channelled; leaves not divergent	Campylium p.p.
	Leaf acumen flat, not channelled; leaves divergent	Leptodictyum

Notes

Anomodon, couplet 14. This appears in the Handbook under Triquetrella, but in the addenda Sainsbury states that he thinks it is probably an Anomodon.

Fabroniaceae, couplet 37. This moss was found sterile in the Lake Wakatipu district and its genus cannot be determined. Sainsbury discusses it on page 453 in the Handbook.

Ectropothecium, couplet 83. This genus has been reported from New Zealand but no recent specimens have been seen. However I have examined a specimen in Beckett's collection, in the Canterbury Museum, from Kermadec Island which is Ectropothecium sandwichense.

Chorisodontium, couplet 94. A new species of this genus was recently described (Allison. 1963) from material collected by C. J. Burrows, in Rough Creek Basin, Arthur's Pass. It belongs to the Dicranaceae.

Dicranoloma, couplet 98. This genus comes very close to Dicranum and is not sharply distinct from it. The leaf border in Dicranoloma is given as a main distinction but it can be very indistinct or even wanting in some specimens.

Scleropodium, couplet 102. This genus is probably introduced and is discussed by Sainsbury on page 457 in the Handbook. It occurs also in Dunedin.

Chamberlainia, couplets 104 and 107. This genus was split off from Brachythecium by Grout in 1928 and revised and enlarged page 178 by H. Robinson in 1962 to include essentially the sections Salebrosia, Acuminata and Velutina of Brachythecium.

Scouleria, couplet 147. This genus belongs to the Grimmiaceae. A new species was found by C. J. Burrows in Rough Creek Basin, Arthur's Pass, and has not yet been described.

Pylaisia. The reported occurrence of this genus in New Zealand is discussed in the Handbook by Sainsbury at pages 469-470. Its occurrence in New Zealand seems very doubtful and it is omitted.

Glossary

Acumen: a tapering narrow point, usually describing a leaf apex.
Acuminate: tapering to a gradually diminishing point: more drawn out than acute.
Alar Cells: a usually conspicuous group of cells at the outside base of a leaf, differing greatly in size, shape or wall-thickness from the surrounding cells (fig. 7).
Amplexicaul: clasping the stem.
Apiculus: a short abrupt point to a leaf, usually but not always acute.
Appressed: of leaves; applied closely to the stem in an erect position.
Arboreal: growing on trees.
Arista: a fine, bristle-shaped point.
Arcuate: of capsules; bent in a curve like a bow.
Auricles: ear-like lobes at leaf bases.
Brood-Filaments: thread-like bodies of few (4) to many cells long, borne on stems and branches, which can presumably reproduce the plant.
Bulbils: minute bulb-shaped bodies borne on rhizoids or in leaf axils which can reproduce the plant.
Calcareous: containing chalk or lime: an alkaline, not acid, soil or rock
Calyptra: the upper part of the ruptured archegonium which is carried up by the capsule as it develops and forms a covering for it (fig. 45).
Campanulate: more or less bell shaped with an entire base.
Cernuous: nodding.
Cilia: the narrow teeth of the endostome.
Ciliate: having the margin fringed with hairs (fig. 11).
Circinate: curved almost into a circle; of leaves.
Clavate: club shaped; broadest about the middle or above.
Cleistocarpous: of a capsule from which the operculum does not separate.
Comal Tufts, Comose: having the leaves in tufts at the apex of the stem or branch.page 179
Complanate: flat or plane: of leaves or stems.
Conic: cone shaped, circular in cross section: height only once or twice the diameter of the base.
Cordate: heart shaped.
Cucullate: of a calyptra, split up one side: of a leaf, hood-shaped.
Decurrent: with the leaf base running down the stem like a wing.
Dendroid: branched like a tree, with a bare trunk.
Dentate: of leaves, sharply toothed.
Denticulate: finely toothed.
Dimorphous: of two forms.
Distichous: arranged in two vertical rows.
Dorsal: of leaves, abaxial or the surface facing away from the stem.
Emergent: a capsule wholly included in the perichaetial leaves is termed ‘immersed’ (fig. 36): if the capsule is partly above them, it is ‘emergent’: if the perichaetial leaves do not reach the base of the capsule, it ‘exserted’.
Endostome: the inner teeth (processes and cilia) of the peristome.
Erecto-Patent: midway between erect and patent: spreading from the stem at an agle of 45 deg. or less.
Excurrent: of a nerve, extending beyond the leaf apex as an extension or awn (fig. 5).
Exserted: see ‘emergent’.
Falcate: sickle shaped; curved like a scythe blade.
Fascicled: arranged in a small bundle or close cluster.
Filiform: thread-like.
Fimbriate: of calyptra, fringed with cilia or fine hairs.
Flabellate: fan-shaped.
Flexuous: bent backwards and forwards, or waved.
Gametophyte: in mosses, the leafy plant, which bears the leaves and sexual organs; an archegonium develops into the capsule and seta, the sporophyte, which is parasitic on the gametophyte.
Gemmae: outgrowths on stems or leaves of few or many cells which are shed to reproduce the plant vegetatively (figs. 10, 43).
Gemmiform: of a male flower, shaped like a small bud, ovoid with a narrow tip.
Gibbous: of capsules, swollen on one side.
Gymnostomous: of capsules, without a peristome.
Immersed: see emergent (fig. 36).
Incrassate: of cell-walls, thickened: having thick walls.
Inflexed: turned upwards and inwards.
Innovations: branches or fresh shoots from a stem and so lateral.page 180
Involute: of leaf-margins, rolled inwards.
Julaceous: smoothly cylindrical, like a worm.
Lamellate: furnished with lamellae or thin plates of tissue at right angles to the face bearing them (figs. 1, 9).
Lamina: the blade or expanded part of the leaf as distinct from the nerve.
Lanceolate: shaped like a lance head: broadest near the base, tapering upwards from a narrow ovate base.
Lax: of alar cells, loose, large with thin walls.
Ligulate: strap shaped (quite or almost of equal width for all its length).
Linear: narrow and elongated with parallel margins.

page 181

Plate 1
1. Transverse section of leaf of Polytrichum commune showing lamellae on the upper surface. 2. Leaf of Dicnemoloma showing papillose lower surface. 3. Leaf of Loptobryum pyriforme. 4. Leaf of Pterygophyllum dentarum with forked nerve and denticulate margin. 5. Leaf of Tortula princeps showing the nerve excurrent in a long dentate, flexuose, piliferous point. 6. Leaf of Hypnum cupressiforme, strongly curved and nerveless. 7. Leaf of Acrocladium auriculatum with short nerve and conspicuous alar areas. 8. Leaf of Fissidens leptocladus showing the nerve reaching the apex, vaginant leaf base (stippled) and thickened margins. 9. Leaf of Polytrichum commune showing dentate margins and upper surfaces opaque owing to the numerous longitudinal lamellae. 10. Leaf of Calyptopogon mniodes showing the apical mass of gemmae on the upper surface. 11. Leaf of Catharomnion ciliatum showing the remarkable ciliation. 12. Leaf of Hymenodon piliferus showing piliferous apex and nerve not reaching the apex. 13. Leaf of Rhizogonium mnioides with thickened, dentate margins. 14. Leaf of Cladomnion ericoides, nerveless, plicate and with recurved apiculus. 15. Leaf of Ctenidium pubescens showing the margins dentate almost to the base. 16. Leaf of Dicranoloma dicarpum with strongly spinulose upper margins. 17. Branch leaf of Sphagnum cuspidatum. 18. Sphagnum: part of a branch leaf surface, strongly magnified to show the long chlorophyllose cells enclosing the larger hyaline ones which are strengthened with ‘spirals’ or cell wall thickenings. 19. Capsule of Polytrichum juniperinum and front view of its mouth showing the (ruptured) circular membrane held in place by the 64 short teeth. 20. Capsule of Tortula princeps, erect, with twisted peristome rising from the entire basal part. 21. Capsule of Ceratodon purpureus, inclined and ribbed. 22. Capsule of Bryum truncorum, pendulous with conical opercuium. 23. Capsule of Weisia viridula, erect, with short peristome teeth. 24. Capsule of Conostomum pusillum, striate and horizontal. 25. Capsule of Polytrichadelphus magellanicus with operculum. 26. Capsule of Trematodon suberectus, inclined with long neck. 27. Capsule of Hypnum cupressiforme, inclined and with conicomamillate operculum. 28. Capsule of Ptychomnion aciculate, inclined and striate with the strikingly long operculum. 29. Capsule of Leptobryum pyriforme. 30. Capsule of Orthotrichum hortense, erect and ribbed with short, recurved outer peristome. The inner peristome consists of eight filiform processes which remain more or less horizontal across the mouth, but may be soon lost.

page 182

Lingulate: tongue shaped: shorter than ligulate and wider towards the base with rounded apex.
Mitriform: of a calyptra, campanulate, not split up one side as in cucullate (fig. 46).
Mucro: of leaf apex, a very short, usually rather stout, abrupt point.
Mucronate: having a mucro.
Multifarious: in many rows.
Nerve: the midrib of the leaf.
Obovate: inversely ovate, with the broadest part near the apex.
Operculum: the lid of the capsule which usually is shed to release the spores (figs. 22, 25, 27, 28).
Orbicular: almost circular.
Ovate: shaped like the longitudinal section of an egg with the broadest part near the base.
Papilla: a small superficial elevation.
Papillose: provided with papillae (fig. 2).
Paraphyllia: minute leaf-like or much branched organs among the leaves.
Percurrent: of a nerve, just reaching the apex of the leaf, but not beyond.
Perichaetial: of leaves (fig. 42): those at the base of the seta which often differ from the others.
Peristome: the teeth which form a single or double row of appendages to the capsule mouth, seen on the fall of the operculum: sometimes absent, when the capsule is ‘gymnostomous’.
Piliferous: bearing long hair-like points.
Piliform: like a long flexuous hair.

page 183

Plate 2
31. (a) Ephemeropsis trentepohlioides, part of tuft with young capsules and male flowers; (b) Enlarged piece showing male flowers. 32. Fissidens leptocladus showing terminal seta. 33. Cyathophorum bulbosum, lower side, showing the three rows of leaves and capsules. 34. Hypopterygium setigerum showing umbrella-like growth habit. 35. Pterygophyllum dentatum showing leaves inserted in several rows but spreading laterally to form a flattened ‘frond’. 36. Hedwigia albicans with immersed capsules. 37. Leptobryum pyriforme. 38. Macromitrium longipes. 39. Physcomitrium conicum with gymnostomous capsule. 40. Thuidium furfurosum with bi-pinnate branching. 41. Weymouthia mollis showing irregular or sub-pinnate branching. 42. Dicranoloma fasciatum showing the perichaetial leaves sheathing the whole seta. 43. Tetraphidopsis pusillus showing terminal heads of gemmae. 44. Hypnum cupressiforme with the densely placed curved leaves giving the stems a turgid appearance. 45. Fringed cucullate calyptra of Campylopus torquatus. 46. Entire mitriform calyptra of Cyathophorum bolbosum.

page 184

Pilose: furnished with rather long and soft distinct hairs.
Pinnate: ‘feather-like’, with more or less regular lateral branching (figs. 40, 41).
Plicate: furnished with ‘plicae’ or longitudinal folds like those of a fan (fig. 14).
Processes: the larger divisions of the endostome (see cilia).
P.P. (Pro Parte): in part: indicates that other species of the genus appear in another part of the Key.
Prosenchymatous: long narrow cells with pointed ends dovetailing into one another.
Protonema: the branched thread-like growth arising from the germinated spore, which gives rise to the moss plant (fig. 3lb).
Pyriform: pear shaped.
Retuse: of leaves, with the apex broad and slightly depressed.
Rostrate: beaked wtih a long slender point.
Rugose: wrinkled, usually transversely.
Second: turned or pointing to one side only.
Serrate: furnished with saw-like teeth.
Seta: (a) a bristle; (b) the capsule stalk (fig. 32).
Setaceous: bristle-like, in shape.
Setose: sparsely provided with bristles.
Spathulate: rounded or shortly oblong with the lower end drawn out: like a chemist's spatula (fig. 4).
Sporophyte: see gametophyte.
Squarrose: with points spreading widely, giving a rough appearance to the plant.
Stipe: the lower simple erect stem of a branched moss.
Subula: the longer narrowed upper part of a narrow leaf: the broader basal part is the ‘lamina’.
Subulate: awl shaped.
Sulcate: deeply longitudinally furrowed, usually of capsules.
Terete: round, not angled or grooved.
Tomentum: a densely-matted woolly covering of rhizoids.
Tristichous: in three rows.
Turbinate: top shaped.
Vaginate: sheathing, as the base of an iris leaf (fig. 8).
Ventral: of leaves, belonging to or on the front, i.e. the face next the stem.
Vermicular: narrow and curved, like a small worm.
Whorled: arranged in a whorl or ring.

References

Allison, K. W., 1960. Contributions to the Knowledge of the New Zealand Bryophyte Flora. Trans. Roy. Soc. N.Z. 88: 9-12.

——, 1963. New and Rare Mosses in New Zealand. Trans. Roy. Soc. N.Z. Botany Series. 2: 133-141.

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Tuatara: Volume 12, Issue 3, November 1964

Revised Key to the Moss Genera in New Zealand

Revised Key to the Moss Genera in New Zealand

Acknowledgment

Key

Notes

Glossary

References