Lycopodiella diffusa and L. lateralis - are they different?

The lycophytes Lycopodiella diffusa and Lycopodiella lateralis are sometimes easy to distinguish and sometimes not! We want to determine if they really are distinct species. Pat Brownsey is just beginning to draft the eFloraNZ treatment for the Lycopodiaceae.

You can help us - please add photos to NatureWatchNZ if you see Lycopodiella diffusa or L. lateralis (or something in between).

For more details (and photos), please see: https://inaturalist.nz/projects/lycopodiella-diffusa-and-lycopodiella-lateralis-are-they-really-different-species


The two apparently in sympatry, with Lycopodiella diffusa at left and L. lateralis at right, near Charleston.

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Posted on April 28, 2017 09:47 PM by leonperrie leonperrie

Comments

The South Island's west coast is key to untangling this, so I'm hoping that those active there can keep a look out, please - @johnb-nz, @bylsand, @rowan_hindmarsh_walls , @alice_shanks .

Posted by leonperrie almost 7 years ago

I'm adding in @fergus and @janegosden as they are based on the coast, and @melissa_hutchison, as you spend some time over there.

Posted by rowan_hindmarsh_w... almost 7 years ago

Nice project Leon! The place I've had the most trouble with these two was in behind the Stockton plateau (the same place I collected that nice Glechenia (sorry, poor spelling from). There was lots of Lycopodiella growing in amongst the tangle fern/manuka/Dracophyllum/empodisma pakihi systems.

Posted by janegosden almost 7 years ago

Thanks @rowan_hindmarsh_walls . And thanks @janegosden. The two species seem to come together fairly frequently between Stockton and Charleston. I'm keen for more observations from that area, but also from elsewhere.

Posted by leonperrie almost 7 years ago

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