typification

Lectotype: N.Z., Northern Island, Auckland, Sinclair, BM 000517611! The Sinclair collection, one of two syntypes cited in the protologue is fertile and ample. Frahm (in herb. BM) has annotated this specimen “chosen as lectotype” with an illegible date (1981?). A published statement of this lectotypification cannot be located and in Frahm (1987) he stated that he had not seen type material.

Fife, A.J. 2019: Dicranaceae. In: Smissen, R.; Wilton, A.D. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand – Mosses. Fascicle 42. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.

Etymology

The species epithet pallidus is an obvious reference to the pale colour of the plants. The disused epithet torquatus makes reference to contorted leaves, presumably those of the often present reduced and propagula-like shoots.

Fife, A.J. 2019: Dicranaceae. In: Smissen, R.; Wilton, A.D. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand – Mosses. Fascicle 42. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.

editorial

"The evidence for applying the European name C. pyriformis (Schultz) Brid. [Bryol. Univ. 1: 471 (1826)] to N.Z. material is not convincing. The application of this name by several authors in Australasia dates from a brief publication by Corley & Frahm (1982). That publication outlined some confusion around the type of the basionym (Dicranum pyriforme Schultz) and confusingly stated that material described from the Azores as C. azoricus Mitt. “must be regarded as the typical form of C. pyriformis”. Corley & Frahm placed the Australasian C. pallidus Hook.f. & Wilson in the synonymy of C. pyriformis. The situation is rendered even more perplexing by their subsequent statement that the species in question is an Austral or Australasian species that may have been introduced to Europe in “pre-botanical” times. Subsequent publications, many authored by Frahm, have repeatedly cited the conclusions presented by Corley & Frahm (1982). Firmer evidence that Australasian material is conspecific with a European (Azorean?) species is required before the name C. pyriformis can be confidently applied to the N.Z. material. It is preferable to utilise the earliest Australasian name that can be typified for this widespread (in N.Z., Tasmania, and mainland Australia) and variable species. The name C. pallidus Hook.f. & Wilson is based on ample fruiting material from N.Z., and this name is applied here. The application of this name agrees with that favoured by Scott & Stone (1976), but is at odds with the use of C. torquatus Mitt. in Wilson by both Dixon (1923) and Sainsbury (1955a)."

Fife, A.J. 2019: Dicranaceae. In: Smissen, R.; Wilton, A.D. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand – Mosses. Fascicle 42. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.