New Zealand Journal of Botany abstract

Received 14 February 1997; accepted 17 April 1997

Asplenium cimmeriorum, a new fern species from New Zealand

P. J. BROWNSEY

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
P. O. Box 467
Wellington, New Zealand

P. J. DE LANGE

Northern Regional Science Group
Science & Research Division
Department of Conservation
Private Bag 68908
Newton
Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract  Asplenium cimmeriorum sp. nov. is described from the Waitomo district in the North Island and from the Oparara Valley and north Westland in the South Island. It is an octoploid species which grows in lowland sites on calcareous substrates in high rainfall areas. In the North Island it is largely confined to cave entrances and limestone walls, favouring sites of very low light intensity. In the South Island it extends also into forest, growing on rotting logs, roots, and rock. It is morphologically close to both Asplenium hookerianum and A. bulbiferum subsp. gracillimum, and is known to hybridise with A. bulbiferum. It is suggested that it may be an allopolyploid species with A. hookerianum as one parent. Asplenium hookerianum is apparently absent from the regions now occupied by A. cimmeriorum, and may have been displaced by a species better adapted to high rainfall and low light habitats on calcareous soils. The conservation status of A. cimmeriorum is discussed and it is recommended for classification as a "local" species.

Keywords  ferns; Aspleniaceae; Asplenium; Asplenium cimmeriorum; Asplenium hookerianum; Asplenium bulbiferum; plant taxonomy; new species; hybrids; description; illustrations; distributions; ecology; conservation status; New Zealand

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