Some 102 genera and 360 species have been found in New Zealand. Well-known cosmopolitan and sub-cosmopolitan genera of the leafy liverworts, such as Lophocolea, Chiloscyphus, Frullania, Radula, Plagiochila, Bazzania, Jamesoniella, Cephalozia, Acrobolbus, Isotachis, Adelanthus, and of the large family Lejeuneaceae, are well represented in New Zealand, while representatives of such northern genera as Anthelia, Marsupella, Jubula, Ptilidium, and Pedinophyllum have more recently been reported. The tropical genera, Schistochila, Acromastigum, Leptolejeunea, and Treubia, include New Zealand in their southern range, and genera exclusive or nearly so to the Southern Hemisphere, such as Marsupidium, Pachyglossa, Lepidolaena, Temnoma, Lembidium, Dendrolembidium, Balantiopsis, Triandrophyllum, and Lepicolea, are by no means lacking.

The widespread genus Lepidozia, as originally constituted, has been subdivided into at least six smaller genera of which we have Lepidozia, Telaranea, Lepidoziopsis, Microlepidozia, and Drucella. The trend is now to streamline all genera whenever possible by creating segregates that are smaller and more sharply defined. But on the other hand the unwieldy family of Lejeuneaceae is being simplified by reduction of genera.

Goebeliella is a distinguished genus, with one species not uncommon throughout New Zealand and also in the Auckland Islands; Goebelobryum, which may be endemic, revels in the peat of the Waikato.

Of the thalloid genera, New Zealand has its share. The universal Metzgeria and Riccardia, on trees and damp earth respectively, are here in plenty. The widespread Pallavicinea, the tropical and southern Symphyogyna, and the rarer southern Hymenophytum, whether dendroid or narrow fronded, alike enjoy the shade and humus of the bush. Marchantia and also Lunularia, which is possibly introduced, flourish by streams and gorges and even on shady garden paths, and the less common but more or less worldwide Reboulia, Plagiochasma, and Asterella, also with sporophyte borne on stalked receptacles, reward the searcher with their green and purple colourings; and Targionia, first noted by Linnaeus, which encloses its sporophyte in two terminal blackish scales. Wet banks clothed with the large deep-green Monoclea, known also in Chile, unfailingly attract attention, whilst Neohodgsonia, another distinctive plant, still survives in New Zealand and Tristan da Cunha.