Camptochaete arbuscula (Sm.) Reichardt var. arbuscula

Plants 40–60 (–100) mm, light green to brown or yellow-green. Fronds irregularly 1(–2)-pinnate, complanate, loose and untidy. Stipes (10–) 15–20 mm. Branches mostly straight, complanate or sometimes loosely julaceous, attenuate and loosely cuspidate. Frond axis leaves imbricate, concave, ovate-oblong, with the apex erect, obtuse to widely acute, (1.9–) 2.2–2.5 (–3.0) × 1.2–1.6 mm, entire. Branch leaves complanate to loosely spiralled, 1.2–1.7 × 0.6–0.8 (–1.0) mm. Mid laminal cells (50–) 60–75 (–95) × 5 µm; those above (at extreme apex) 8–12 µm; alar cells forming group c. 12 cells wide and extending 8 cells from the leaf base.

Setae 4–5 mm. Capsules held below the frond, ± erect, 1.8–2.0 × 1.0 mm; exothecial cells mostly 36–60 × 15–20 µm. Exostome teeth c. 575 µm long and inserted c. 75 µm below the mouth.

Sainsbury 1955, pl. 69, fig. 3; Beever et al. 1992, fig. 64; Tangney 1997​​​​​​​, figs. 6, 7, 9, 10, 15, 16.

C. arbuscula (var. arbuscula) may be confused with C. deflexa, which has more regular fronds, with leaves, especially branch leaves, very regularly imbricate and little altered when dry. Differences between C. arbuscula and C. deflexa are discussed under the latter species. Some monopodial forms with elongate creeping stems are similar to Weymouthia cochlearifolia, from which fertile plants of C. arbuscula differ in their shorter setae and reflexed perichaetia. In sterile material, non-dendroid, monopodial forms of C. arbuscula lack strongly porose mid laminal cells, and W. cochlearifolia​​​​​​​ is also a generally larger, softer plant with wider branches compared to the more compact and wiry plants of C. arbuscula.

Common in lowland forests across a range of habitats including stream banks and the forest floor. It is most commonly on bark and exposed roots and occasionally found on rocks and rotten logs; rarely on the ground. It also extends to higher altitudes and to open edge habitats. Altitudinal range: from sea level to 1080 m on South I. (Mt Mytton, NW Nelson), and to 1200 m (Mt Ruapehu) on North I.