The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Geum uniflorum

Etymology

Geum: Possibly from the Greek geuo 'to give a pleasant flavour', the roots of some species being aromatic.
uniflorum: one flowered

Common Name(s)

alpine avens

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

Geum uniflorum Buchanan

Family

Rosaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

GEUUNI

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Oncostylus uniflorus (Buchanan) F.Bolle

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand. South and Stewart Islands

Habitat

Subalpine to alpine (up to 1800 m a.s.l.). In herbfield, on rock ledges, and in moist tussock grassland

Features

Low-growing, loosely mat-forming, strongly rhizomatous herb up to 200 mm tall at flowering, arising from a ± stout, initially fleshy, ultimately woody stock. Basal leaves up to 120 mm long, imparipinnate, glossy dark green fading to dark red, areolate, glabrate to moderately pilose, margins lobulate-crenate, undulose, fringed with a dense covering of harsh golden yellow hairs, hydathodes white, conspicuous; lateral leaflets in 1-2(-5) pairs, all very reduced and lowest rudimentary; terminal leaflet 10-40 mm long, crenate-dentate and sometimes obscurely lobed; cauline leaves reduced to small, toothed bracts. Scape up to 200 mm long, finely pubescent, intermixed with longer, wispy, multicellular glandular hairs. Flowers solitary, up to 25 mm diameter. Calyx pubescent and villous, lobes c.6 mm long, narrow-ovate, bracteoles minute, deeply bifid. Petals 7-17 mm long, white or creamy white, broadly ovate. Disc crimson. Anthers purple. Achenes numerous, c. 2 mm. long, densely pilose especially on margins; style remnant c.5 mm long, apex hooked.

Similar Taxa

Allied to Geum divergens Cheeseman with which it shares a strongly rhizomatous growth habit and large flowers. From that species it is distinguished by its smaller overall dimensions, open, leafy rosettes; leaves which are adaxially areolate, glossy dark green fading to dark red with age; with more or less undulate, lobulate-crenate leaf margins which are fringed with dense golden hairs and conspicuous white hydathodes; pubescent petioles and peduncles with intermixed longer multicellular glandular hairs; and solitary white flowers up to 25 mm diameter, with a central crimson eye, ringed with purple anthers.

Flowering

November - February

Flower Colours

Cream,White

Fruiting

December - March

Propagation Technique

Easily grown in pots in an alpine house, and in cooler climates within a rock garden. Best grown from fresh seed.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Pappate achenes are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 27 Sep 2014