Species

Myrsine aquilonia

Etymology

Myrsine: myrrh

Common Name(s)

Poor Knights Matipo

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Relict

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Relict
2004 - Sparse

Qualifiers

2012 - PD
2009 - PD

Authority

Myrsine aquilonia de Lange et Heenan

Family

Primulaceae

Brief Description

Bushy tall shrub with a ringed smooth trunk bearing small heart-shaped leaves inhabiting coastal areas in eastern Northland and offshore Islands. Leaves 12-28mm long by 10-17mm wide, with a large notch at the tip, on erect branches. Fruit purple, 3-8-4.7mm long.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

MYRAQL

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand, North Island: Known from the Poor Knights Islands, Rauhomaumau Island, Rangaunu Harbour, and Te Arai (Heenan & de Lange 2004)..

Habitat

Coastal scrub, kanuka forest and mangrove swamps.

Features

Dioecious, suckering shrub or small tree up to 12 m tall. Trunks with ring-like constrictions. Branchlets erect, somewhat spreading, not divaricating, usually crowded and leafy. Adult leaves 12-28 x 10-17 mm, without prominent blotch at lamina base, obovate, leathery, entire with leaf apex deeply retuse to obcordate. Flowers axillary, solitary or in fascicles of up to 6. Female flowers with 4 sepals and 4 petals, petals free, 1.6-1.7 x 1-1.1 mm, broadly elliptic, green flushed maroon. Style 0.2-0.3 mm, stigma 0.6-0.8 x 0.6-0.8 mm, stamens rudimentary. Male flowers similar. petals 2.5-2.8 x 1.2-1.3 mm, obovate, stamens prominent with anthers 1.2-1.5 x 0.6-0.8 mm, gynoecium rudimentary. Fruit a circular purple or violet drupe 3.8-4.7 x 3.5-4.7 mm.

Similar Taxa

M. aquilonia differs from M. coxii by the non-rhizomatous habit, ring-like trunk constrictions, leafy branches, and broader deeply retuse leaves, from M. umbricola by the ring-like trunk constrictions, taller heavily branched growth form, and uniformly lighter green coloured, deeply retuse leaves. (see M. divaricata)

Flowering

August

Flower Colours

Green,Red / Pink

Fruiting

December-January

Propagation Technique

Easy from hardwood cuttings and fresh seed. Fast growing and tolerant of a range of conditions and moisture regimes.

Threats

Abundant on the Poor Knights Island group where it is often the co-dominant species in the main vegetation types. Outside these islands it is very scarce. Previously regarded (as Myrsine aff. divaricata (AK 228797; Poor Knights)) as Sparse in de Lange et al. (2004).

Chromosome No.

2n = 46

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Popular and widely sold, usually as Myrsine 'Poor Knights'.

Attribution

Fact Sheet Prepared by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2009). Description based on Heenan & de Lange (2004).

References and further reading

de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D.; Johnson, P.N.; Hitchmough, R. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 45-76.

Heenan, P.B.; de Lange, P.J. 2004: Myrsine aquilonia and M. umbricola (Myrsinaceae), two new species from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 753-769

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014