Pachyglossa tenacifolia

Pachyglossa tenacifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Marchantiophyta
Class:	Jungermanniopsida
Order:	Lepidoziales
Family:	Lophocoleaceae
Genus:	Pachyglossa
Species:	P. tenacifolia
Binomial name
Pachyglossa tenacifolia (Hook.f. & Taylor) Herzog & Grolle

Pachyglossa tenacifolia is a species of liverwort from New Zealand in the family Lophocoleaceae. ^[1]

Description

A medium-sized plant, shoots approximately 1 mm wide and up to 11 cm long, Pachyglossa tenacifolia branches frequently and is dark-coloured (deep green to black). Unusually for leafy liverworts in the family, P. tenacifolia lateral leaves are similarly sized to the underleaves. Most branches develop laterally- and ventrally-intercalary and plants possess 'stolons', or microphyllous branches. This species is easily distinguished from other liverworts, even in the field, as the leaves are uniquely thick and fleshy with two layers of cells and leaves and underleaves are near identically sized. ^[2]

Distribution and habitat

Pachyglossa tenacifolia is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on Campbell Island, the Auckland Islands, Stewart Island, and western parts of the South Island. ^{[2] [3]} This species occurs mostly in the pen-alpine zone and above on the New Zealand mainland, but sometimes grows near sea level on Stewart Island. ^{[2] [4]}

References

1. "Pachyglossa tenacifolia". iNaturalist NZ. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
2. Engel, John J.; Glenny, David (2008). A flora of the liverworts and hornworts of New Zealand. Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden Press. ISBN   978-1-930723-66-5.
3. Lewington, Rodney (November 2006). "A Checklist of Liverworts and Hornworts, Fiordland National Park" (PDF). Botanical Society of Otago Newsletter. 47: 11–17.
4. Martin, William (1950). "The bryophytes of Stewart Island. Part II". Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 78 (4): 485–501.