New Zealand is the world’s hotspot for liverworts, with over 600 species. We’ve got lots of mosses and lichens too, with some 500 and 2000 species, respectively. However, this rich diversity is easily overlooked and often not appreciated.
In this talk Leon Perrie will introduce these three groups, and outline how they differ from each other and other plants. We’ll also cover tips for spotting them in the field. We’ll finish by using magnifying glasses and microscopes to take a close look at a selection of samples.
Leon Perrie’s (Curator Botany) research focuses on New Zealand’s ferns: their numbers, locations and identification. He has used DNA analyses to address this work and such questions as how ferns are related to one another and to species overseas. He is currently working on accounts for the online eFlora of New Zealand (link is external). He also works on Pacific ferns, and has studied other plant groups, particularly Pseudopanax (lancewoods and five fingers).
Book your a place on the 10.30am session.