The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Gentianella antipoda

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)
antipoda: Named after the Antipodes i.e. Australia or New Zealand which are on the opposite side of the world from Europe

Common Name(s)

Antipodes Islands 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 - IE, OL, Sp
2009 - OL IE

Authority

Gentianella antipoda (Kirk) T.N.Ho et S.W.Liu

Family

Gentianaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Gentiana antipoda Kirk, Gentiana antipoda f. pallida Kirk, Gentiana antipoda f. rubra Kirk, Chionogentias antipoda (Kirk) L.G.Adams

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: Antipodes Islands (Antipodes and Bollons Islands)

Habitat

Coastal to montane in Poa litorosa tussock grassland and Carex ternaria–Anisotome antipoda bogs

Features

Plants biennial, monocarpic, height in flower 35–240 mm. Caudex unbranched or branched (depending on the size of plant), up to 100 mm long. Flowering stems terminal and lateral, 2–20 per plant, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter when dry, yellow or tinted crimson, lateral flowering stems decumbent, flowering stem leaves 5–6 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from halfway up flowering stem. Rosette of leaves present but not very distinct from flowering stem leaves, leaves narrowly elliptic, 34–39 × 4.8–6.2 mm wide, tinted crimson below or yellow, flat, not recurved, apex acute or rounded; margin thickened; petiole distinct, 3.2–3.5 mm wide. Flowering stem leaves similar to rosette leaves but smaller. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 0.8–2.0 × 0.6–0.9 mm. Flowers 73–83 per plant, 5.5–10.5 mm long. Calyx 4.7–8.0 mm long, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 3.9–6.7 mm long, 0.9–1.3 mm wide at base, green or crimson, plane, apices narrowly acute, margins minutely denticulate, sinus hairs sparse. Corolla 5.5–10.5 mm long, white to purple, with veins uncoloured to purple; tube 1.6–2.9 mm long; lobes 3.9–7.6 mm long, 1.3–2.7 mm wide; hairs below sinus absent; nectary 1.0–1.4 mm from corolla base. Filaments 2.8–6.3 mm long from corolla base, 0.3–0.55 mm wide. Anthers 0.75–1.0 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis. Stigma colour unknown. Ovules 3–9 per ovary. Capsule 2.9–7.2 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Gentianella antipoda is the only species present on the Antipodes Islands. Closest to G. antarctica from which it is distinguished by Plants having 2–20 lateral flowering stems; rosette leaf petioles 3.2–3.5 mm long (cf. 1.6-2.6 mm long); corolla tubes 1.6–2.9 mm long (3.6-2.4 mm long); nectaries 1.0–1.4 mm cf. 1.6-3.4 mm from corolla base; fewer ovules 3–9 per ovary (cf. 7-27); capsules 2.9–7.2 cf. 8.0-13.2 mm long

Flowering

December – April

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

January - May

Propagation Technique

Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

A Naturally Uncommon, range-restricted, island endemic. Abundant on the islands it is under no obvious threat. The Antipodes Islands are administered as a Nature Reserve and are part of a World Heritage Park with access strictly controlled by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

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