Huperzia australiana

Huperzia australiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Lycopodiophyta
Class: Lycopodiopsida
Order: Lycopodiales
Family: Huperziaceae
Genus: Huperzia
Species: H. australiana
Binomial name
Huperzia australiana
(Herter) Holub
Synonyms
  • Lycopodium australianum Herter

Huperzia australiana is a species of small terrestrial plant, a firmoss or tassel fern, in the Lycopodiaceae (clubmoss) family. It is native to Australia and New Zealand.

Distribution and habitat

The plant occurs at sheltered sites in subalpine and subantarctic regions, in grasslands and around bogs, up to 2000 m above sea level.[1]

Description

Huperzia australiana has decumbent stems with densely tufted, erect branches up to 300 mm long, usually branched 2 or 3 times. The leaves are crowded, appressed to spreading, 5–9 mm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide in the middle and tapering to a point. It reproduces vegetatively through the often numerous small bulbils which form along the stem. The sporophylls are similar to the foliage leaves; no strobili are formed; the bright yellow, kidney-shaped sporangia are produced in the upper leaf axils.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Peter G.; Chinnock, R.J. (2000). "Huperzia australiana (Herter) Holub". PlantNET. National Herbarium of NSW: Sydney. Retrieved 2013-02-24.


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