''Archidium elatum'' is a species of

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

in the family Archidiaceae. It is native to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, where it occurs on the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

and Chatham Island, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, where it can be found in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. This moss grows on wet

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...

and other coastal rock formations. In some areas it is associated with ''

Campylopus introflexus ''Campylopus introflexus'', also known as the heath star moss, is a species of moss. The first description of the species was made by Johannes Hedwig as ''Dicranum introflexum'' in 1801. Description Individual plants measure , with lanceolate l ...

'', '' Ceratodon purpureus'', ''

Disphyma australe ''Disphyma australe'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a prostrate, succulent annual shrub or short-lived perennial plant with stems up to long, leaves that are three-sided in cross-se ...

'', and ''

Astelia banksii ''Astelia banksii'' is an evergreen silver-green plant from the beaches of New Zealand. It likes it best in partial shade and in infertile and well-drained soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean m ...

''. This moss was thought to be

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to New Zealand but it has recently been found in Australia. In New Zealand it is listed as a 'Nationally Vulnerable' species under the

New Zealand Threat Classification System The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand. The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some ...

.''Archidium elatum''.
New Zealand Plant Conservation Network.

References

Bryopsida Bryophyta of New Zealand Bryophyta of Australia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{NewZealand-plant-stub