''Trichocolea mollissima'' (woolly worm) is a large liverwort of the
Trichocoleaceae
Trichocoleaceae is a family of liverworts in the order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein ...
family. It is found commonly throughout wet sclerophyll and rainforests in
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 ...
and
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 ...
. In Australia it is present in
Tasmania
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, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
,
Victoria,
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 ...
and
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_ ...
. It also occurs extensively on the north island of New Zealand. Its most distinctive feature is its highly divided, densely arranged and extremely small leaves, which lend it a woolly appearance; hence its common name “woolly worm”. It usually grows in a matted or tufted habit on the ground and lower trunks of trees, and exhibits a preference for decaying wood and deep shade. On casual observance, its leaf arrangement and growth habit resemble that of a large moss. Its stems are commonly 3–6 cm long, with leaves up to 0.6mm wide, with up to 3-3 divisions. leaves and stems are arranged in bi-pinnate (rarely tri-pinnate) form. It is commonly coloured pale-yellow-green, which fades to white or blue-green upon desiccation in drier conditions.
''Trichocolea mollissima'' closely resembles another Trichocoleaceae species found in southern Australia, ''T. rigida''. Inspection of the cell form under a microscope is usually required to distinguish the two. Where the cell form of ''T. rigid'' is thin-walled and minimally tapered, the cells of ''T. mollissima'' are highly tapered and possess thick walls. Another distinction between the two species is ''T. rigid as'' comparative scarcity and preference for drier, sclerophyll habitats. The two species are also known to hybridise however, and examples of specimens possessing characteristics of both species have been documented.
[Ratkowsky, D. A. (1980). Tasmanian and New Zealand Trichocolea (Hepaticae). The Bryologist, (1). 78.]
The extent of ''T. mollissimas'' distribution and its prevalence throughout forests within its range suggest that its future as a species is secure.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q17264734
Jungermanniales