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Genus Cuspidatula Steph.
Jungermannia Tayl., G., L. et N., Syn. Hep., 664, 1847.
Cuspidatula St., Spec. Hep., ii, 126, 1901.
Plants dioicous. Stems simple or with few branches. Leaves often secund on the dorsal aspect, ovate with a broad base and acute apex, succubous; cells rotund, walls thick, trigones large, confluent. Stipules none. Perianth terminal, large, ovate-cylindric, plicate; mouth contracted, lobed and fimbriate. Invol. leaves and stipule large and deeply dentate.
Cuspidatula monodon (Tayl.) St.
Jungermannia monodon Tayl., Lond. Journ. of Bot., 1844; G., L. et N., Syn. Hep., 664, 1847; Fl. Nov. Zel., ii, 128, 1855; Handb. N.Z. Fl., ii, 1867; Fl. Tas., 1860.
Jung. geminiflora Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx, 243, 1887.
Jung. consimilis Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxi, 47, 1888.
Cuspidatula monodon St., Spec. Hep., ii, 126; Rod., Tas. Bry., ii, 29, 1916.
Plants pale, golden or reddish-brown, prostrate, decumbent, in flattish mats or in tuffets, on earth, rock, tree-trunks, etc. Stems to ca. 5 cm., simple or sub-dichotomously branched, flexuous, rhizoids abundant. Leaves imbricate, dorsally secund, ovate-lanceolate, apex acute, acuminate piliferous or spinous, occasionally obtuse, ventral margin may show a tooth or rudimentary lobe. Cells ca. 20μ, rounded, walls thick, trigones confluent, more elongate towards the centre of the leaf with sinuous-walled trigones. Invol. leaves and stipules larger, undulate, deeply and variously incised, segments simple or forked and branched like antlers, main segments longly piliferous. Perianth large. ca. 2.5 mm., ovoid-cylindric, deeply furrowed, mouth contracted, fringed with numerous filiform fimbriae.
The following localities show this species to be widely distributed:
North Island: Poor Knight's Island, Rangitoto, Whangarei Heads, epiphytic on kauri and on roots, Moehau, 2,200 and below 2,200 ft., L. B. Moore; tree trunks in bush, Waipoua Forest, forming cushions on tree-trunks, Mangarewa Gorge, Matai Road, between Rotorua and Te Puke, K. W. Allison; Mount Ruapehu, G. O. K.
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Sainsbury; Maungataniwha, inland from Wairoa, B. Teague; with Anastrophyllum schismoides by Lake Waikare-iti, 3,000 ft., on tree-fern stump, bush at Maungapoike Falls, in bush at Morere, E. A. Hodgson; Ruahine foothills, A. L. Hodgson; Tararuas, 6,932, P. R. B. Herb., V. D. Zotov; Butterfly Creek, Wellington, W. Martin; also 4 specimens in Kirk's collection, P. R. B. Herbarium.
South Island: Marlborough, J. H. MeMahon; damp forest floor, Arthur's Pass, W. Martin; Taylorville, Westland, M. Berry; on rock, Lamb Hill, Central Otago, G. Simpson and J. S. Thomson; on rock, Mount Watkin, Waikouaiti, 1,500 ft.; bog, Key Summit, near Homer Tunnel, L. B. Moore; Stewart Island, with Chandonanthus, L. Cockayne.
K. W. Allison has a note to the effect that this species is sometimes found growing in the tops of tall forest trees.
Also grows in Tasmania.