The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Epilobium melanocaulon

Etymology

Epilobium: From the Greek epi- 'upon' and lobos 'a pod', the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
melanocaulon: black stemmed

Common Name(s)

Willowherb

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

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 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Epilobium melanocaulon Hook.f.

Family

Onagraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

EPIMEL

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North and South Islands from Rotorua and Lake Waipapa (Waikato River Hydroelectric dam) south.

Habitat

lowland to alpine. Usually riparian, in open braided river and gravelly river beds and watercourses. Also on moraines, scree slopes, and in gravel on lake margins. Rarely in urban areas, often found in the eastern South Island growing along railway tracks.

Features

Much-branched, stoutly tap-rooted, erect, perennial herb forming shrublets 0.1-0.3 m tall. Branches arising from the base (rarely above). Stems purple-black, maroon (sometimes green), with dense strigulose lines decurrent from the margins of the petioles. Leaves sessible to subsessile, mostly opposite towards base, alternate in or near inflorescence, dark dull green, purple-black or maroon, midvein scarcely visible to prominently so, lateral veins not evident, 1-3 on each side of midrib; petioles if present 1-2 mm long; lamina 3-12(-20) x 1-4(-6) mm, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, apex acute (often apiculate), base attenuate, margins remotely, coarsely serrate, teeth 2-4 on each side. Inflorescence erect. Flowers erect. Ovaries 6-14 mm long, glabrous, green to purple-black, sessile or on pedicels 2 mm long. Floral tube 0.2-0.6 x 1.0-1.4 mm, glabrous. Sepals not keeled, 2-8-4.5 x 0.9-1.1 mm. Petals 5.0-6.5 x 2.3-3.0 mm, white, flushed pink after pollination, the notch 0.5-1.0 mm deep. Anthers 0.4-0.5 x 0.25-0.3 mm, yellow; filaments of the longer stamens 1.5-2.3 mm long, those of shorter ones 0.8-1.5 mm long, the anthers of the longer stamens shedding pollen directly on the stigma at anthesis. Style 2.1-2.6 mm high, white; stigma 0.8-1.9 mm x 0.45-0.9 mm, short-clavate, surrounded by the anthers of the longer stamens at anthesis. Capsules 18-38 mm long, brown, glabrous, sessile or on pedicels up to 9 mm long. Seeds 0.9-1.1 mm long, purple-brown, orange ot orange-brown usually tinged purple, obovate, finely reticulate-mamillate; coma 4.0-6.5 mm long, white, caducous.

Similar Taxa

Epilobium melanocaulon is unlikely to be confused with any other Epilobium in New Zealand, indigenous or otherwise. The densely branched, erect, shrubby growth habit, and purple-black stems; coarsely toothed, dark green, purple-black or maroon leaves and dark brown capsules are diagnostic of this species.

Flowering

December - April

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

February - June

Propagation Technique

An attractive species well suited to a rocky garden situation. Excellent as a pot plant for terrace situation. Inclined to be short-lived so best grown from fresh seed or cuttings and treated as an annual. In good conditions will self-establish but not inclined to be weedy like many other epilobia.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute pappate seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 16 Sep 2014