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Abstract
A revision of the genus Echinodium recognizes six extant and one extinct species. Four species are distributed in Macaronesia: E. spinosum in the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands; E. prolixum in the Azores and Madeira; E. renauldi in the Azores; and E. setigerum in Madeira. Two species are distributed in Australasia: E. hispidum (E. arboreum and E. falcatulum syn nov.) in eastern Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand and surrounding islands; and E. umbrosum var. umbrosum (E. parvulum syn. nov.) in New Zealand and Lord Howe Island, and var. glauco-viride comb. nov. on islands including Fiji, Raoul, Norfolk and Campbell. The fossil E. savicziae (incertae sedis) is known from Poland and U.S.S.R. Transfer of the genus from the Isobryales to the Hypnobryales is warranted. A close relationship is suggested, phenetically at least if not cladistically, to the Thuidiaceae. The monophyly of Echinodium is presently questionable, thus a discussion of an ‘anomalous’ or ‘unique’ distribution should be used with discretion.