Threat category:
Threatened: Nationally Critical?Regions:
Canterbury, OtagoDistribution:
South Canterbury and Otago
Key Features
- A spring annual which germinates in winter or early spring, flowers and fruits in spring, then shrivels and dies in early or mid summer.
- A tiny, tufted rossett-forming herb, only 1.5-2 cm tall and less than 30 mm in diameter.
- Has a cryptic colour and texture. The leaves are divided into lobes and each lobe is divided 2-3 times into oblong segments.
Distribution and Habitat
- Otago and historically was also found in south Canterbury.
- Is specialised to grow in thin, skeletal, summer-dry/winter frost-heaved soils with sparse vegetation cover – ‘semi-deserts’.
Threats
- Competition from exotic species.
- Grazing by sheep, goats and rabbits.
- Conversion and loss of habitat.
Management Opportunities
- Survey for new locations.
- Mark known sites.
- Protection of habitat.
- Removal of exotic species.
- Ensure that forest owners are aware of potential habitats and can recognise the species.
Monitoring Options
- Check existing populations annually.
- Report new locations to DOC, NZPCN.
Further Information and Support
- New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN). http://www.nzpcn.org.nz
- References:
- Rogers, G.; Walker, S.; Tubbs, M. & Henderson, J. (2002). Ecology and conservation status of three “spring annual” herbs in dryland ecosystems of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 40: 649-669.
- Peter de Lange, Peter Heenan, David Norton, Jeremy Rolfe and John Sawyer (2010). Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. 472 pp.