Species

Crassula sieberiana

Etymology

Crassula: From the Latin crassus 'thick', meaning 'rather thick'

Common Name(s)

none known

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

Crassula sieberiana (Schultes et Schultes f.) Druce

Family

Crassulaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CRASIE

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

Synonyms

Tillaea sieberiana Schultes et Schultes.f.

Distribution

Indigenous: New Zealand: Three Kings, North, South, Chatham Islands (also Australia)

Features

Short-lived perennial or annual herb forming dull green, pink, reddish-green or red clumps; stems 10-50(-200) mm long, sprawling, ± decumbent, suberect to erect, slender, sometimes rooting at nodes in moist conditions, much-branched. Leaves connate at base, 2.0-2.5(-4.0) × 0.5-0.7(-1.0) mm, c.0.7 mm thick, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, flattened above, convex beneath; apex acute. Flowers in small cymose clusters in lf axils, not star-like or fragrant, 4-merous, 2-3 mm diameter; pedicels < 1 mm long at anthesis, to c.2 mm long and ± = leaves at fruiting. Calyx lobes c.1.0-1.2 × 0.7-0.8 mm, very broadly ovate, acute to short-acuminate. Petals c.0.8-0.9 × 0.5-0.6 mm, broadly ovate, green or reddish green with pink tips, shortly acuminate, slightly < calyx lobes. Scales c.0.3 mm long, very narrowly spathulate. Follicles smooth. Seed 0.3-0.5 mm long.

Flowering

August - December

Flower Colours

Green,Red / Pink

Fruiting

October - March

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed but very short-lived.

Threats

Not Threatened

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute follicles are dispersed by wind and water and possiblty also by attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Where To Buy

Not commercially available.

 

Attribution

Description modified from Webb et al. (1988)

References and further reading

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. DSIR Botany Division, Christchurch.

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 14 Aug 2014