Lepidoziaceae - southern liverworts

Investigations into the systematics and relationships of the Lepidoziaceae (a family of about 1000 liverworts found mostly in the Southern Hemisphere) has been ongoing for several years. It has been partly funded by the Hermon Slade Foundation. Fieldwork in Tasmania (December 2007) provided some very useful additions to the material available for analysis, particularly in the genus Acromastigum. This is a clearly defined genus and traditionally it has been closely aligned with Bazzania on morphological characters. Interestingly the molecular work gives no indication of their relationship (close or otherwise). Fieldwork in Fiji in April (for another project with Dr Matt von Konrat of the Field Museum, Chicago) also provided the opportunity to collect several species. Some of these are widespread taxa and the material may allow us to investigate speciation and rates of evolution in geographically separated populations. In early 2008 the project was joined by Endymion Cooper as a PhD student (co-supervised by Dr Murray Henwood and Dr Matt Pye, University of Sydney). Endymion will investigate relationships within the subfamily Lepidozioideae more closely, as well as doing joint work with the Tree of Life project based at Duke University on the basal relationships in the family. He will use about 10 different markers to try and resolve the structure (in addition to rbcL, trnLF and nad5 which have failed to provide sufficient resolution). Having decided to pursue further studies (a PhD on the Elaeocarpaceae), Margaret Heslewood is currently employed on the project one day a week.

Lord Howe Island research

Many of the plants in garden beds near the Opera House Gate at the north-western corner of the Royal Botanic Gardens were collected from Lord Howe Island as cuttings or seed by Botanic Gardens Trust scientist Elizabeth Brown while studying the island’s liverworts. Liverworts are small moss-like plants, among the first to appear on land more than 200 million years ago. The island’s liverworts (about 100 species) are closely related to those in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. Elizabeth is also part of a group of volunteers who weed out invasive introduced plants, an important role in maintaining the island’s World Heritage standing.

Did you know?

Lord Howe Island is a volcanic island 7 million years old, 700 km north-east of Sydney.
Nearly 50% of the island’s plant species are found nowhere else in the world. This, and its great beauty, seabirds and marine life, earned its World Heritage status in 1982.
One of four native palm species, the Kentia Palm, Howea forsteriana, is native only on Lord Howe Island. Growing seedlings for the indoor plant industry is an important export activity.
W eedy Psidium cattleianum (Cherry Guava), species of Pittosporum and Asparagus (asparagus ‘fern’), and the weedy liverwort, Lunularia cruciata, could displace the native flora.

Endymion Cooper collecting Telaranea
Endymion collecting Telaranea from a river bank in Tasmania.