the common leafy liverwort of NZ's damp forest floor
- Size
- Width: 2–5 cm
- Lifespan
- 3–7 years
- Diet
- Grows on bark of trees, rocks, and damp soil in damp, shaded forests. Requires consistent moisture, high humidity, and stable bark surfaces. Prefers rough bark of native trees in old-growth forest with stable microclimate.
- Habitat
- Grows on bark of trees, rocks, and damp soil in damp, shaded forests. Forms soft, leafy mats of pale green leaves with a distinctive two-toothed tip.
- Range
- Found throughout the North and South Islands on bark of native trees, rocks, and damp soil in damp, shaded forests. Most common in lowland and montane forests with high rainfall. Also found in temperate regions worldwide.
- Endemism
- Native
- Main Threats
- None significant. This species is common and widespread in damp, shaded forests. Localised threats include forest clearance, removal of old trees, and climate change reducing forest floor humidity.
- Population
- Not Threatened. Leafy liverwort is common on the bark of native trees, on rocks, and on damp soil in damp, shaded forests throughout New Zealand. It is a widespread species found in temperate regions around the world.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
The one that looks like a tiny, soft carpet has stems that are creeping and branching, forming loose, leafy mats on the bark. The leaves are arranged in two rows along the stem, overlapping like the leaves of a moss. The leaves are oval to oblong, with a rounded base and a tip that is divided into two sharp teeth, a subtle threat, a quiet warning. The colour is pale green to yellowish-green, often with a translucent quality. It is the liverwort of the hidden tooth, the one that looks soft but has a sharp edge.
What makes it special is the teeth. Leafy liverwort is one of the few liverworts with distinctly toothed leaves. The leaf tip is divided into two sharp, pointed teeth, a feature that gives the species its name (bidentata means two-toothed). These teeth are a subtle threat, a quiet warning to anything that might try to eat the liverwort. They are not large enough to cause harm, but they are a reminder that even the softest things can have a sharp edge. It is the liverwort of the hidden danger, the one that is not what it seems.
The leaves are arranged in two rows along the stem, with the leaves lying flat against the bark. The leaf margins are entire (smooth) except for the toothed tip. The underleaves (amphigastria) are present but small, often hidden by the overlapping leaves. Under a hand lens, the teeth are visible, two sharp points at the tip of each leaf.
Biologically, the leafy liverwort reproduces by spores, released from capsules on short stalks. It grows on the bark of native trees, on rocks, and on damp soil in damp, shaded forests. The spores are tiny, carried by the wind to new locations.
To find leafy liverwort is to find the soft, leafy mats on the tree bark. They are pale green, soft, and leafy, a quiet carpet on the trunk. You need a hand lens to see the teeth, the subtle threat, the sharp edge on a soft leaf. It is the liverwort of the hidden tooth, the one that looks soft but has a sharp edge, the one that proves that the most dangerous things are often the most beautiful.