Species

Eryngium vesiculosum

Etymology

Eryngium: From the Greek eryngion, a type of spiny-leaved thistle resembling sea holly

Common Name(s)

Sea holly

Current Conservation Status

2018 - Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable

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

2012 - At Risk - Declining
2009 - At Risk - Declining
2004 - Gradual Decline

Qualifiers

2012 - DP, SO, Sp
2009 - DP, SO, Sp

Authority

Eryngium vesiculosum Labill.

Family

Apiaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ERYVES

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 Herbs other than Composites

Distribution

Possibly endemic. New Zealand, North and South Islands from the Manawatu and Eastern Wairarapa Coastline south. In the South Island found mainly east of the main divide. Australian plants, which include the type may not be same as the New Zealand plant.

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple

Chromosome No.

2n = 64

Endemic Taxon

?Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Spiny mericarps are dispersed by attachment and wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Notes on taxonomy

New Zealand plants May be an unnamed, endemic species. Further research is required. Certainly it is clear that some of the Australian plants referred to this name are not the same as the type. Further research is required.

References and further reading

Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309

This page last updated on 22 Sep 2014