Open Access

Alison Downing, Ron Oldfield, Eleanor Fairbairn-Wilson

• A surprising number of endemic species of plants and animals are found within Mount Canobolas State Recreation Area (33°21’ S, 148°59’ E, 1395 m asl) 15 km SW of Orange in the Central West of New South Wales. During this survey of bryophytes on Mount Canobolas, 75 species, including 60 moss species, 13 liverwort species and two hornwort species were identified. Although no endemic bryophyte species were recorded, the assemblage included an unusual combination of alpine, arid zone and rainforest species. Areas of exposed rock on the upper flanks of the mountain are particularly species rich. The geology of the area is complex and the presence of certain species at particular locations is probably determined by the chemical composition of the substrate rock. Polytrichastrum alpinum, a rare species in New South Wales previously recorded only above 1500 metres in alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park, was collected on Mount Canobolas at 1206 m asl. Anumber of uncommon species were recorded in Mount Canobolas State Recreation Area, including the mosses Bryoerythrophyllum jamesonii, Leptodontium paradoxum, Hymenostomum microstomum var. brachycarpa, Orthotrichum assimile, Tortula anderssonii, Tortula rubella and Tortula ruralis, the liverwort Riccia crozalsii and the hornwort Anthoceros cf. punctatus.