The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Epilobium purpuratum

Etymology

Epilobium: From the Greek epi- 'upon' and lobos 'a pod', the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
purpuratum: purplish

Common Name(s)

Purple willow herb

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 - Sparse

Qualifiers

2012 - Sp

Authority

Epilobium purpuratum Hook.f.

Family

Onagraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

EPIPUR

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island Mt Cook Region and eastern Otago (Mt Earnslaw, Hectors Col, West Matukituki, Pisa and Rock & Pillar Ranges)

Habitat

A high altitude alpine species occupying sites between 1300-1850 m in elevation. It is a species of unstable to fairly stable screes, fine grained gravels lodged within boulderfalls, and on occasional a rupestral dwelling on shaded ledges and cliff faces.

Features

Decumbent, glabrous to glabrescent somewhat succulent perennial herb. Stems 40-200 mm long, distinctly purple-black, sometimes rooting at nodes. Petiole 1-17 mm long, fleshy. Leaves 4-16 x 3-8 mm, dark green, opposite, rather crowded, firmly fleshy to almost succulent, dark green, broadly elliptic to rotund, obtuse to rounded at apex, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins entire, or obscurely serrulate with up to 4 blunt teeth on each side. Floweras solitary in leaf axils, at fist pendant becoming erect in fruit. Pedicel 10-35 mm long, bright purple. Ovaries 7-13 mm long, bright purple, glabrous. Floral tube 1-1,2 mm deep, 1.5-1.8 mm diameter, glabrous. Sepals 3-4.4 x 1-1.3 mm, bright purple, not keeled, glabrous or with a few strigose hairs. Petals 4.5-9 x 3-4 mm, white with pink veins, flushed pink after pollination, notch 1-1.8 mm deep. Anthers 0.8-0.9 x 0.4-0.5 mm, yellow. Long filaments 2-2.8 mm long, short 0.8-1.8 mm long, white. Style 1-1.4 mm, white, stigma 1.5-2 x 0.6-0.8 mm, white, clavate. Capsule 12-40 mm long, purple, glabrous, erect, pedicle elongating,10-65 mm long. Seeds 1-1.2 x 0.4-0.5 mm, brown, papillose, coma 4-6 mm, white, caducous.

Similar Taxa

A distinctive species recognised immediately by the rather succulent, fleshy, thick-set, dark green with dark purple underside leaves 4-16 mm long, purple-black stems, and purple capsules. In its high alpine habitat it is frequently found in association with the similar E. prophyrium which has a pink flush to the upper leaf surface and a curved pink rather than straight, erect, purple capsule.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

November - April

Propagation Technique

Unknown. Has been cultivated in the past and probably does well in an alpine house.

Threats

A naturally uncommon, narrow range endemic of high altitude habitats. There is no evidence that it has ever been threatened by browsing animals.

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute pappate seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 22 Sep 2014