liverworts

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A plant of [i]Plagiochila arbuscula var. arbuscula[/i] growing on scoria on the Lava Caves track - Rangitoto Island. This specimen is bearing perianths. The Chatham Islands has this variety (which has long been known in New Zealand - incorrectly - as [i]P. obscura[/i]) as well as the new endemic var. [i]rekohuensis[/i]
Natural Heritage

Finally – the Chatham Islands have an endemic liverwort!

In 2005 whilst at the Allan Herbarium (CHR), Lincoln I happened to ask Dr David Glenny if anyone had examined the liverwort flora of the Chatham Islands? David told me that a few people had collected liverworts from there, including him in 1997, and so far found “nothing special”. Intrigued, I then asked if David would like me to collect hornworts and liverworts while doing vascular plant work over there, and he agreed that this would be a good idea. David also kindly gave me a checklist of the hornworts and liverworts known to be on the island, and further, he agreed to identify what I got from there.