The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Epilobium nerteroides

Etymology

Epilobium: From the Greek epi- 'upon' and lobos 'a pod', the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
nerteroides: like Nertera, an unrelated plant

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 nerteroides A.Cunn

Family

Onagraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

EPINER

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands.

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine. In riparian sites within forest and dense scrub growing on moss and liverwort encrusted rocks along watercourses.

Features

Loosely matted creeping perennial herb forming patches up to 0.4 m diameter; plants glabrous (rarely with a few strigulose hairs in lines decurrent from the margins of the petioles). Flowers arising individually from the leaf axils, the stems continuing to grow and root beyond the point where they are produced. Leaves opposite, dull pale to dark green, petioles distinct, 1-6 mm long; lateral veins of lamina (1-)2-3, on each side of the midrib, inconspicuous; lamina (3-)4-11 x (2-)0.3-0.8 mm, broadly elliptic to ovate, apex acute to obtuse, base rounded to acute, margins remotely serrulate or serrate, teeth (1-)2-8 on each side. Flowers erect. Ovaries (5-)8-13(-20) long, glabrous, green, borne on a glabrous pedicel (6-)9-19 mm long (the flowers usually falling before full pedicel elongation). Floral tube 5-11 x 11-15 mm. Sepals not keeled 1.0-3.1 x 0.7-1.1 mm, glabrous. Petals 2,5-5.3 x 1.5-4.0 mm, white, rarely pale pink, the notch 0.6-1.0 mm deep. Anthers 0.4-0.7 x 0.2-0.5 mm, yellow; filaments of the longer stamens 0.8-2.0 mm long, those of shorter ones 0.7-1.5 mm long, both sets shedding pollen directly on the stigma before or after the flower opens. Style 1.0-2.1 mm, white; stigma 0.7-1.5 x 0.4-0.9 mm, white, clavate, surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules 15-42 mm long, glabrous, borne on pedicels (27-)35-90(-150) mm long. Seeds 0.6-0.9 mm long, orange-brown, oblong-elliptic, elliptic or obovate, finely reticulate-papillate; coma 4-6 mm long, white (sometimes tinged orange), caducous.

Similar Taxa

Epilobium nerteroides is most likely to be confused with E. brunnescens, with which it often grows. Epilobium nerteroides is distinguished from E. brunnescens by its narrower leaves, more open growth habit; subglabrous stems and glabrous ovaries; and by the flowers which fall before the elongation of the pedicel has ceased. Raven & Raven (1976) note that E. nerteroides grows on shaded mossy rocks and stream banks while E. brunnescens prefers open gravel in stream beds and other distrubed places. However, in the Central North Island at least it is not that uncommon to find both species growing together.

Flowering

September - March

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

November - May

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a damp, shaded site. Inclined to be weedy.

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