The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Gratiola sexdentata

Etymology

Gratiola: little beauty

Common Name(s)

Gratiola

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

Gratiola sexdentata A.Cunn.

Family

Plantaginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

GRASEX

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Gratiola glandulifera Colenso

Distribution

Endemic. Widespread throughout the North and South Islands, can be locally common but often absent from large parts of the country

Habitat

Lake, pond, tarn and river margins where it grows in marginal turf communities or on recently exposed mud or silt. Also present in wetlands where it grows along slow flowing streams, in pools of water or amongst sedges and reeds (but only in open sites it dislikes heavy shade). Occasionally collected from muddy pools within alluvial forest.

Features

Terrestrial to semi-aquatic glabrous to finely viscid-pubescent, erect to widely spreading perennial herb forming patches up to 300 x 300 mm. Stems mostly erect, stout, sparingly to heavily though laxly branched from base, dark purple or maroon often with dark spots or green with purple spots (rarely completely green). Leaves sessile to subsessile, opposite, 6-30 x 4-16 mm; dark green above with purple stitch marks along lamina (rarely bright green without stitch marks), undersides paler, often purple spotted; lamina ovate to lanceolate or suboblong, very rarely linear-lanceolate, margins entire, subentire or with distant fine, triangular-teeth. Flowers axillary on slender peduncles up to 10 mm long. Calyx-lobes 4-6 mm long, darkly purple-green, often with darker spots, or bright green; narrow-lanceolate, more or less attenuate, obtuse, to narrow ovate-lanceolate. Corolla 10-16 mm long, with corolla tube 8-14 mm long and corolla lips < tube; externally white often with a yellowish base, internally with a yellow throat, usually with 4-8 fine purple lines extending from lips to corolla base; rarely corolla completely white. Anthers connivent, cells parallel, transverse; staminodes filiform. Capsule c.5 mm long; dark purple-green with dark spotting or bright green, drying greyish; more or less ovoid-globose, initially fleshy, maturing chartaceous. Seeds numerous.

Similar Taxa

Has been much confused with the South American G. peruviana and Australian G. latifolia but it does not seem to be close to either of these species, differing consistently by its smaller, ovate-lanceolate leaves with purple stitch marks along the margins, dark purple spotted glabrous to hairy stems, and longer, larger flowers. However, further study is needed. From the other New Zealand species it could perhaps be confused with G. pubescens but that species has all its vegetative parts covered in fine viscid hair. G. pedunculata is similar but has smaller pedicellate flowers, glandular sticky indumentum, no purple stitch marks on the leaves, and much smaller flowers. Small forms of G. concinna have also been confused with it.

Flowering

Year round

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

Year round

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed, rooted pieces or stem cuttings. Needs to grow in water.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 90

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Mucilaginous seeds are dispersed by water and possibly wind and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Where To Buy

Not commercially available.

Taxonomic notes

Gratiola sexdentata - as currently circumscribed remains a highly variable species and this variation warrants further study.

 

  

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 4 May 2006. Description by P.J. de Lange

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 28 Sep 2014