''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' is a species of the order

Pallaviciniales Pallaviciniales is an order of liverworts. Taxonomy * Pallaviciniineae Schuster 1984 ** Hymenophytaceae Schuster 1963 *** ''Hymenophyton'' Dumortier 1835 Umbraculum'' Gottsche 1861 non Schumacher 1817 non Kuntze 1891] ** Moerckiaceae Stotler ...

(liverworts), one of perhaps several species in the genus ''

Hymenophyton ''Hymenophyton'' is a genus of the order Pallaviciniales Pallaviciniales is an order of liverworts. Taxonomy * Pallaviciniineae Schuster 1984 ** Hymenophytaceae Schuster 1963 *** '' Hymenophyton'' Dumortier 1835 Umbraculum'' Gottsche 1861 ...

''. It is a dendroid thalloid liverwort belongs to the family Hymenophytaceae and is commonly known as Fan liverwort. It is found in New Zealand, Chile, and common in wet forests of Australia and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. ''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' closely resembles with small filmy fern, ''Hymenophyllum'' and can be confused with the liverwort, ''Symphyogyna hymenophyllum.'' Growling Swallett 2

Description

''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' is plagiotropic, branched rhizome-like axes with aerial shoots divided into upright stalks. Palmate

fronds A frond is a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group. Other botanists allow the term frond to also apply to the lar ...

or flabellate are olive green, with forking, 5-6 times and forked

thallus Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized Greek (), meaning "a green shoot" or "twig", is the vegetative tissue of some organisms in diverse groups such as algae, fungi, some liverworts, lichens, and the Myxogastria. Many of these organisms ...

wings spreading out horizontally. Segments are flat, slightly undulate at borders, 0.8 to 1.2mm in wide. Segments with obtuse apex are limited in growth. Growing apex contains 1-celled marginal slime papillae Lamina cells are 35-49µm in length, 23-30µm wide, 23-35µm thickness. Marginal cells are short of 18-23 µm in length and 33-35µm in width. 3 to 4 or 5 to 6 male branches per frond which are lateral on stalk or nerve bifurcation. Female scale has toothed margin.

species produce

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, ...

and disperse through a spirally thickened, elongate structure called elaters. The central strand of ''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' contains long and axially elongated water conducting cells with pointed ends. The mature water conducting cells lack living contents and thickened wall of water conducting cells possess oblique slit shaped depression. Adjacent cells connected through small perforations within the depression.

Distribution and habitat

''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' commonly found in New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Chile in rain forest and wet forest. It grows on shaded wet soil, humus, and old logs in forest, and along rivers sides. Bush Blitz survey 2010 reported the prenece of ''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' in two locations, Seventeen Mile plain, Vale of Belvoir reserves, Tasmania. Additional report recorded the presence of this liverwort in Teepookana forest site in Tasmania, found on fallen portion of the old

Huon pine ''Lagarostrobos franklinii'' is a species of conifer native to the wet southwestern corner of Tasmania, Australia. It is often known as the Huon pine or Macquarie pine, although it is actually a podocarp (Podocarpaceae), not a true pine (Pinace ...

tree.

Phytochemicals

Apigenin 6,8-di-C-glycosides have been detected as characteristic chemical compounds in ''Hymenophyton flabellatum.'' Pungent-tasting chemical compound 1-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-but-2(E)-en-1-one was isolated from ether extract of ''Hymenophyton flabellatum. This chemical compound is responsible for the pungent taste of H. flabellatum upon chewing.''

Insect relation

''Hymenophyton flabellatum'' is act as a larval host, provide home and food for ''

Sabatinca chalcophanes ''Sabatinca chalcophanes'' is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island apart from Northland and in the South Island apart from in the east, south of Queen Charlotte Sound. The ad ...

.''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q16983449 Pallaviciniales