The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Gentianella chathamica subsp. nemorosa

Etymology

Gentianella: Little Gentiana (named after Gentius, 6th century king of Illyria, who found the roots of the yellow gentian to have a healing effect on his malaria-stricken troops)
chathamica: From the Chatham Islands
nemorosa: From the Latin nemorosus 'pertaining to woods or groves'

Common Name(s)

Central North Island Gentian, forest Gentian

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - Sp

Authority

Gentianella chathamica subsp. nemorosa Glenny

Family

Gentianaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None (described in 2004)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Kaimai Ranges south to the northern Ruahine Range)

Habitat

Monatne to alpine. Mostly in deep drifts of leaf litter on poorly drained ground in beech (Nothofagus) dominated forest but also in cloud forest, and in montane to alpine bogs.

Features

Plants monocarpic, biennial, height in flower 25–300 mm. Caudex unbranched, stolons absent. Root 0.7 mm diameter at stem base. Flowering stems terminal only or terminal and lateral, 1–2 per plant, largest flowering stem 1.6 mm diameter at base, stems tinted crimson, lateral flowering stems erect, flowering stem leaves 1–3 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from near base of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves distinct to not very distinct from flowering stem leaves; leaves ovate, elliptic or orbicular, 18–44 × 3.6–15.2 mm, green often tinted crimson below, flat, not recurved, apex rounded; petiole indistinct, 3–20 × 0.9–2.2 mm. Flowering stem leaves ovate, sessile. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 3.5–17.0 mm long, 0.8 mm diameter. Flowers 6–70 per plant, 6.0–8.8 mm long. Calyx 5.8–7.9 mm long, green, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 4.2–6.1 mm long, 1.2–2.5 mm wide at base, plane, apices acute or obtuse, margins minutely denticulate, sinus hairs absent or sparse. Corolla 4.5–9.8 mm long, white with crimson veins; tube 2.0–2.5 mm long; lobes 5.0–7.1 mm long, 2.1–3.0 mm wide, hairs below sinus absent or sparse; nectary indistinct, 0.2–0.6 mm from corolla base. Filaments 4.2–6.0 mm long from corolla base, 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Anthers 0.4–1.1 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis; pollen yellow. Female flowers absent. Stigma crimson, blue or purple. Ovules 9–30 per ovary. Capsule 6.5–9.5 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Distinguished from Gentianella chathamica subsp. chathamica (which is endemic to the Chatham Islands by its restriction to the Central North Island mountains and Volcanic Plateau), the plants usually having two or more flowering stems; 9–30 ovules per ovary; anthers that are 0.4–1.1 mm long; crimson, and blue or purple stigmas. Of the North Island species it is distinguished from G. bellidiflora by the biennial habit, consistent presence of terminal flowering stems, and from G. grisebachii (with which it often grows) and G. montana subsp. ionostigma by the pedicels 3-17 mm long and anthers 0.4-1.1 mm long. Gentianella chathamica subsp. nemorosa is probably better treated as a distinct species.

Flowering

December – April

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

February - May

Propagation Technique

Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

A Naturally Uncommon, range-restricted endemic which is sparsely to locally abundant within its mostly central North Island range. There are no known threats, though it is known from very few plants in the northern part of its range and these are vulnerable to plant collectors.

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seeds dispersed by ballistic projection, wind and water (Thorsen et al., 2009)

This page last updated on 26 Sep 2014