Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum (Hedw.) P.C.Chen, Hedwigia 80: 5 (1941)
Synonymy:
  • Weissia recurvirostra Hedw., Sp. Musc. Frond. 71 (1801)
  • Erythrobarbula recurvirostra (Hedw.) Steere, Bryologist 54: 191 (1951)
Type material: Locis lapidosis sabulosis (in sandy, stony places), G-Hedwig. Not seen.
  • = Didymodon rubellus var. dentatus Schimp., Syn. Musc. Eur. 131 (1860)
  • Erythrobarbula recurvirostra var. dentata (Schimp.) Sainsbury, Bull. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 5: 159 (1955) nom. inval.
  • Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum var. dentatum (Schimp.) H.A.Crum, Steere & L.A.Anderson, Bryologist 67: 163 (1964)
Type: Europe. Not seen.
  • = Didymodon erubescens Mitt. in Hooker, Handb. New Zealand Fl. 421 (1867)
Lectotype: N.Z., Otago, Hector. BM-Hooker 000919363!
  • = Trichostomum curvithecum R.Br.bis, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 29: 487–488 (1897)
Holotype: Damp rocks, Broken River, R. Brown s.n., Mar. 1891. CHR 333101!
Etymology:
The epithet recurvirostrum refers to the slightly curved beak on the operculum
 Description

Plants yellow-green above, red-brown below, forming dense tufts. Stems 10–15 mm, sparsely tomentose below, central strand present, sclerodermis weakly developed. Leaves erect-spreading from a ± sheathing base when moist, flexuose and individually twisted when dry, 2–3 mm, linear-lanceolate from a broader base, carinate, narrowly acute, sometimes with a hyaline apiculus; margins recurved, crenulate-papillose, often irregularly denticulate at the apex; upper laminal cells obscure, subquadrate, firm-walled, pluripapillose with complex papillae, (7.5–)10.0–12.0(–14.0) × (7.5–)9.0–10.0(–11.0) µm, becoming longer towards the leaf base; upper marginal cells ± oblate in 1 or 2 rows; lower laminal cells conspicuously but gradually differentiated from upper laminal cells, hyaline, rectangular to long-hexagonal, lax and thin-walled, smooth, with c. 5 rows at the margin narrower and firm-walled, forming a weak border. Costa stout, percurrent, at mid leaf with stereids exposed on abaxial face only; adaxial superficial cells as adjacent laminal cells; abaxial superficial cells at mid leaf fusiform, thick-walled and papillose. Laminal KOH colour reaction orange-red to red.

Paroicous. Perichaetial leaves shorter than vegetative leaves, abruptly acuminate from a sheathing base. Perigonia not differentiated, with antheridia and paraphyses naked in axils of outer perichaetial leaves. Setae slender, flexuose, orange-red, 10–12 mm. Capsules brown, cylindric, sometimes weakly arcuate, 2–3 mm. Operculum bluntly rostrate, ⅓ the theca length. Peristome c. 375 µm, pale, of 16 straight teeth, perforated, densely papillose and weakly nodose, from a low basal cylinder. Spores 14–18 µm, finely papillose.

 Recognition

Features described for recognition of the genus Bryoerythrophyllum provide guidelines for both species. Shoots of B. recurvirostrum are more robust than those of B. dubium​​​​​​​, with leaf margins ± recurved throughout their length.  Differences in costal cross-section are given in the key.

 Distribution

NI: Gisborne (Maungapōhatu), Wellington (Ruahine Range); SI: Nelson, Canterbury, Westland, Otago, Southland; Ch; A; reported from M (Seppelt 2004).

Cosmopolitan? Reported from mainland Australia and Tasmania (Seppelt 2004).

Widespread in both hemispheres, in the tropics and to high latitudes (see Zander 1993; Smith 2004; Kurbatova & Ochyra 2013​​​​​​​).

 Habitat

The species is generally found on calcareous soil or rock, or on concrete. Associated mosses include Bartramia papillata, Gimmia pulvinata, Hypnum cupressiforme, Lepyrodon australis, and Triquetrella tasmanica​​​​​​​.

Records range from c. 15 m (Waitati, Otago L.D.) to 1650 m elevation (Mt Arthur, Nelson L.D.). The species appears to be very rare in the North I., where it is currently known from only two sites.

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Notes

Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum var. dentatum (Schimp.) H.A.Crum, Steere & L.E.Anderson was accepted by Sainsbury (1955, p. 160) for N.Z. (as Erythrobarbula recurvirostra var. dentata) on the authority of H.N. Dixon. A specimen (WELT M016162) that was initially labelled D. rubellus var. dentatus in Sainsbury’s hand is unremarkable B. recurvirostrum. Zander 1993 and Zander et al. 2007 are followed here in placing the variety in synonymy of B. recurvirostrum var. recurvirostrum.

 Bibliography
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Chen, P.-C. 1941: Studien über die ostasiatischen Arten der Pottiaceae.1–II. Hedwigia 80: 1–76, 141–322.
Crum, H.; Steere, W.C.; Anderson, L.E. 1964: New names for some North American mosses. Bryologist 67: 162–164.
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