The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Ourisia spathulata

Etymology

Ourisia: after Ouris, governor of the Falkland Islands
spathulata: shaped like a flattened spoon (leaves)

Common Name(s)

Mountain Foxglove

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 - RR, Sp
2009 - DP

Authority

Ourisia spathulata Arroyo

Family

Plantaginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

OURSPA

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None (first described 1984)

Distribution

Endemic. South Island where confiend to northern Southland (Thomson, Livingstone and Eyre Range as well as East Dome).

Habitat

Low to high alpine (980-1430 m a.s.l.) in herbfields, tussock grasslands or scrubland. Usually in south-facing sites on rocky outcrops, boulders, and cliffs. Often in dry habitats.

Features

Perennial herbs 66-187 mm tall, with erect inflorescences and repent leaves; stems 1.8-5.6 mm diameter, internodes 2.2-6.4 mm long, more or less glabrous. Leaves subrosulate to tightly packed along creeping stems; petiole 3.8-21.8 x 2.1-8.6 mm, glandular (rarely eglandular) pilose, mainly on margins; lamina 7.6-29.4 x 7.0-20.3 mm; obovate to very broadly obovate, apex rounded, base cuneate, tapering to wide petiole, margin evenly crenate, upper surface velutinous, hairs densely glandular/eglandular, undersides prominently veined, less hairy, hairs mostly glandular. Inflorescence, racemose, 1-8-flowered, 74-190 mm long, erect, bracteate, with 1-4 flowering nodes, 2 bracts and 1-2- flowers per node; peduncle 0.7-1.8 mm diameter, pilose, densely glandular/eglandular hairy. Floral bracts up to 8.7-14.5 x 3.1-6.1 mm, sessile, parallel to peduncle, oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, margin with irregular, obscure notches near apex, glandular/eglandular pilose. Flowers 13.1-23.3 x 8.8-19.8 mm; pedicel 8.0-36.0 mm long, pilose, hairs mostly glandular. Calyx 6.4-9.1 x 5.1-9.4 mm, irregular, externally and on margins, eglandular/glandular pilose, internally glabrous, anterior calyx lobes 6.8-9.2 x 2.0-3.2 mm, posterior calyx lobes 1.1-4.0 x 1.5-3.3 mm, 3 posterior lobes divided 1/3-2/3 of calyx length, 2 anterior lobes divided to near base, mostly lanceolate, or narrowly ovate, elliptic or oblanceolate, apex rounded or subacute, prominently 3-veined below. Corolla 18.6-23.8 x 18.4-22.5 mm when flattened, bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, straight or curved, white externally glabrous; tube 7.5-13.6 x 3.1-5.6 mm at apex, 1.9-3.4 mm wide at base, not constricted near base, yellow inside, glabrous; anterior corolla lobes 5.5-11.1 x 3.6-7.6 at widest point, 1.3-4.2 mm wide at base, posterior corolla lobes 4.3-8.9 x 2.9-7.7 mm wide at widest point, 1.5-3.4 mm wide at base, spreading, obovate or slightly obcordate. Stamens 4, didynamous; comprising two long stamens 6.1-7.0 mm long, included, and two short stamens 5.1-6.8 mm long, included; anthers 0.8-1.0 x 0.9-1.4 mm, reniform to horseshoe-shaped; staminode c.0.3-0.7 mm long, inserted c.0.1-0.4 mm above base of corolla. Style 4.2-5.3 mm long, base straight or slightly bent, included or slightly exserted; stigma 0.3-0.5 mm diameter, emarginate to subcapitate; ovary 3.2-3.8 x 1.4-2.7 mm, glabrous. Capsules, fruits and Seeds not yet described.

Similar Taxa

Distinguished by the mixtures of glandular/eglandular hairs on most parts; internally glabrous corolla tube; zygomorphic corolla and calyx; velvety, spathulate leaves with wide flat petioles; and by the leaves opposite along stems or subrosulate. Closest to O. simpsonii (L.B.Moore) Arroyo and O. sessiliflora Hook.f.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

January - March

Propagation Technique

Difficult - should not be removed from the wild

Threats

Not Threatened. However a very localised species of limited geographic range - hence its current listing

Chromosome No.

2 n= 48

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 3 Jan 2014