Introduction
Overview
New Zealand's native mosses and lichens are essential components of forest, wetland, and alpine ecosystems. Mosses help retain moisture, build soil, and provide microhabitats for invertebrates, while lichens are important pioneers on rocks and tree trunks, contributing to nutrient cycling and air quality. These organisms are highly diverse, with many species unique to New Zealand. They play a vital role in ecosystem health and are increasingly appreciated for their beauty and resilience in gardens and natural landscapes.
Mosses (bryophytes) are small, non-vascular plants that typically form dense green mats or cushions in moist environments. Lichens, on the other hand, are composite organisms that arise from a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. Both play crucial roles in ecosystem processes including water filtration, soil formation, and providing microhabitats for invertebrates.
In New Zealand's damp, temperate climate, mosses and lichens thrive, creating magical forest floors, draping from trees in rain-soaked areas, and colonizing rocks and exposed surfaces. These ancient life forms represent some of the oldest plant lineages on Earth and contribute significantly to the primeval character of New Zealand's native forests.
Star Moss
Dicranoloma billardierei
Distinctive star-shaped moss found on forest floors and rotting logs, common in damp native forests.
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Billard's Bryum Moss
Bryum billardieri
Billard's Bryum Moss is a common NZ moss known for its reddish stems and ability to thrive in moist, shaded habitats.
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Serrated Star Moss
Dicranoloma dicarpum
Glossy forest moss forming dense green cushions with strongly serrated leaf margins and pleated leaves.
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Menzies' Star Moss
Dicranoloma menziesii
Glossy native moss forming yellowish-green tufts on forest floors and as an epiphyte on trees, common in wet forests.
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Carpet Moss
Hypnum cupressiforme
Common forest floor moss forming extensive carpets in damp, shaded areas of native forests.
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Donn's Grimmia
Grimmia donniana
A distinct alpine moss forming dense, dark cushions with hoary hair-points, thriving on exposed acidic rocks.
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Great Hairy Screw-moss
Syntrichia ruralis
Extremely resilient, star-shaped moss capable of surviving severe desiccation, found on rocky and man-made substrates.
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Grey-Cushioned Grimmia
Grimmia pulvinata
A resilient moss forming compact, silvery-grey cushions on rocks and walls, thriving in exposed urban and natural environments.
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Old Man's Beard Lichen
Usnea articulata
Pendant lichen that hangs from tree branches in humid forests, an indicator of good air quality.
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Tongariro Moss
Dendroligotrichum tongariroense
Distinctive large moss that forms impressive upright stems, often found in the damp understory of montane and subalpine forests.
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