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Dawsonia superba
Dawsonia superba is a moss in the family Polytrichaceae that is found in Australia, New Guinea, Malaysia, and New Zealand. D. superba is the tallest self-supporting moss in the world, reaching heights of 60 cm (24 in). It has analogous structures to those in vascular plants that support large size, including hydroid and leptoid cells to conduct water and photosynthate, and lamellae that provide gas chambers for more efficient photosynthesis. D. superba is a member of the class Polytrichopsida, although it has a sporophyte that is unique from other hair-cap mosses.
There is some confusion surrounding if Dawsonia superba and Dawsonia longifolia are distinct species or refer to the same moss. According to some sources, Dawsonia longifolia and Dawsonia superba have been merged. For a long time, both D. longifolia and D.
The species is commonly found in Australia, New Guinea, Malaysia and New Zealand. D. superba prefers moist and sub-exposed habitats, cloud forests, and shady forests. It has often been observed growing at the base of uprooted trees.
Dawsonia longifolia · Dawsonia longiseta · Dawsonia polytrichoides · Plants
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Dawsonia superba by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
