The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Haastia pulvinaris var. minor

Etymology

Haastia: after Haast
pulvinaris: From the Latin pulvinar 'a cushion' and -aris 'resembling', meaning resembling a cushio i.e. convex or or rather flattened
minor: smaller

Common Name(s)

Vegetable sheep

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Data Deficient

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 - RR
2009 - RR, Sp

Authority

Haastia pulvinaris var. minor Laing

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island: Nelson, Marlborough to Otago (mostly east of the main divide)

Habitat

Subalpine and alpine fellfield and rocks among screes

Features

Stout perennial forming rounded very compact masses up to 1 x 1 m diameter (usually much less); branchlets with leaves < 15 mm diameter, densely compacted. Leaves c.6-8 × 4-9 mm; apices thickened and crenulate and concealed by dense brush of long tangled whitish hairs, both surfaces or underside only clad in long hairs; veins 3-15, anastomosing above. Receptacle flat or slightly convex, c.5 mm diameter. Involucral bracts linear, obtuse to acute, glabrous except at apices. Achenes compressed, linear, c.2 mm long. Pappus-hairs scarcely thickened, up to 9 mm long, strongly barbellate (especially near apices)

Similar Taxa

Haastia pulvinaris var. minor is distinguished from var. pulvinaris by its much smaller size (only rarely forming hummocks up to 1 x 1 m), branchlets < 15 mm diameter, and by the distinctly whitish tomentum. Both varieties are occasionally sympatric and may perhaps be better treated as species. Both varieties of Haastia pulvinaris could be confused with species of Raoulia, especially R. bryoides, R. eximia and R. mammillaris with which they sometimes grow.From Raoulia, Haastia is distinguished by the anther-cells which are not tailed, and by the leaves which are > 10 mm long. Recent molecular data suggests that Haastia is very closely allied to Brachyglottis.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

Orange,Yellow

Fruiting

December – February

Propagation Technique

Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild

Threats

A naturally uncommon, sparsely distributed plant of high altitude scree habitats. Although it is not threateneed it is rarely common at any particular place.

Chromosome No.

2n = 60

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 22 Nov 2013