Phlegmariurus varius, is a fir moss or club moss in the family Lycopodiaceae found in areas of Australia, New Zealand and associated islands. It has a number of synonyms including Huperzia varia.[1]

Phlegmariurus varius
In Upper Hutt beech forest, New Zealand
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Lycophytes
Class: Lycopodiopsida
Order: Lycopodiales
Family: Lycopodiaceae
Genus: Phlegmariurus
Species:
P. varius
Binomial name
Phlegmariurus varius
(R.Br.) A.R.Field & Bostock[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Huperzia billardieri (Spring) Trevis.
  • Huperzia desvauxii Holub
  • Huperzia novae-zelandica (Colenso) Holub
  • Huperzia varia (R.Br.) Trevis.
  • Lycopodium billardierei Spring
  • Lycopodium flagellaria A.Rich.
  • Lycopodium novae-zelandicum Colenso
  • Lycopodium pachystachyum Desv.
  • Lycopodium phlegmaria A.Cunn.
  • Lycopodium varium R.Br.
  • Lycopodium selago var. varium (R.Br.) C.Moore & Betche
  • Urostachys billardieri (Spring) Herter ex Nessel
  • Urostachys varius (R.Br.) Herter ex Nessel

Phlegmariurus varius can grow on the ground and as a lithophyte or epiphyte. It can have one or many branches that are spirally arranged with slender leaves that narrow to a point. The plant varies from green to green-yellow and is sometimes orange in appearance.[2] A recent article provides morphological and genetic evidence to separate Phlegmariurus billardierei, the only species of Lycopodiaceae endemic to New Zealand, from P. varius.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (August 2019). "Phlegmariurus varius". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. 8.10. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  2. ^ "Phlegmariurus varius | New Zealand Plant Conservation Network". www.nzpcn.org.nz. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  3. ^ Perrie, Leon R.; Shepherd, Lara D.; Field, Ashley R.; Brownsey, Patrick J. (2019-10-02). "Morphological and genetic evidence for the separation of Phlegmariurus billardierei from P. varius (Lycopodiaceae)". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 58 (2): 118–128. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2019.1668438. ISSN 0028-825X. S2CID 208563265.