Species

Crassula peduncularis

Etymology

Crassula: From the Latin crassus 'thick', meaning 'rather thick'
peduncularis: flowers stalked

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

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 - Threatened - Nationally Critical
2004 - Threatened - Nationally Endangered

Qualifiers

2012 - EF, RR, SO
2009 - SO, EF, RR

Authority

Crassula peduncularis (Smith) F.Meigen

Family

Crassulaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CRAPED

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 peduncularis Smith, Tillaea purpurata Hook.f., Crassula purpurata (Hook.f.) Domin and others

Distribution

Indigenous. In New Zealand recorded from North, South and Stewart Islands where it is mainly found in the drier eastern areas. North Island, south from the south Taranaki coast and Hawkes Bay to Wellington. South Island scattered locally from Marlborough to Southland. Stewart island, known from Masons Bay. Indigenous to Australia and South America

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine. A species of ephemeral wetlands (lake margins, tarns), seasonally damp coastal turfs, and uplifted marine terraces.

Features

Inconspicuous, rather delicate, primarily late winter to spring annual herb. Stem decumbent or prostrate fleshy, pinkish white, white to purple, rooting at nodes, usually much branched and ascending. Leaves connate (fused) at base, 1.3-4.5 x 0.3-0.7 mm, fleshy, dark green, yellow-green to pink, linear, linear-lanceolate, flattened above, convex beneath; apex acute or apiculate. Flowers 4-merous, solitary arising from axial or one leaf within a pair. Pedicels <1 mm at flowering, elongating to 10-15 mm long at fruiting. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.8 x 0.3 mm, ovate-triangular, obtuse to subacute. Petals 0.6-0.7 x 0.2-0.3 mm, erect, elliptic-ovate, reddish green, pink with paler pink or white margins, apex obtuse to subacute. Scales 0.15 mm long, narrow-linear. Fruit (Follicles) smooth. Seed 0.2-0.35 mm, orange-brown, elliptic-oblong.

Similar Taxa

Could be confused with the other indigenous Crassula species from which it is best distinguished by the distinctive stalked (pedicellate) seed heads and its strict annual habit. It could be confused with the naturalised South African C. decumbens Thunb., which differs from C. peduncularis by its larger overall, size, multi-branched, upright bushy habit, larger flowers, and near sessile fruiting habit.

Flowering

Late July to December

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

August to February

Propagation Technique

Although easily cultivated from fresh seed this species is difficult to maintain in cultivation. It prefers a damp, sunny situation and is best kept in a small pot partially submerged in water.

Threats

Weed invasion of the seasonally damp, summer dry habitats this species requires is the main threat. Currently most of the larger populations are found in sites where browsing animals such as sheep and cattle keep down competing weed species, or in high altitude habitats still relatively free of weed species. The species small size, and annual habit, mean that it is easily overlooked, so some of its former habitats have been destroyed in ignorance through coastal development.

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

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).

 

 

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 November 2005. Description adapted from Allan (1961) and Webb et al. (1988), supplemented with observations made from fresh and dried material.

References and further reading

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Wellington, Government Printer.

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

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons.Christchurch, New Zealand, Botany Division, D.S.I.R..

 

 

This page last updated on 12 Nov 2014