Species

Colobanthus brevisepalus

Etymology

Colobanthus: mutilated flower wth no petals
brevisepalus: Short sepal

Common Name(s)

Pin cushion

Current Conservation Status

2018 - At Risk - Declining

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

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Data Deficient

Qualifiers

2012 - PD, Sp

Authority

Colobanthus brevisepalus Kirk

Family

Caryophyllaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COLBRE

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

Distribution

Endemic. South Island: east of main divide from Marlborough southwards.

Habitat

On dry mountains, especially on limestone (and associated rendzina soils) schist outcrops, rocks, sandy banks and slopes.

Features

Cushion plant up to 8cm across, many short stiff tightly packed branches closely covered with leaves. Leaves incurved towards stem, densely overlapping, rounded on back, 2-3mm long; long needle-like tips, no mid-rib evident. Flower stalks short. Flowers 3mm long, with 5 sepals, broader than leaves, with thickened midrib, ending in short needle-like tip.

Similar Taxa

Colobanthus canaliculatus, C. buchananii. C. brevisepalus has overlapping, shorter leaves than C. canaliculatus with its spreading, longer leaves. C. buchananii has sepals longer than petals.

Flowering

No information available

Flower Colours

Green

Fruiting

No information available

Propagation Technique

Small divisions can be grown but the species is tricky, and does best in pots within an alpine house.

Threats

Colobanthus brevisepalus is probably not seriously threatened. However in parts of its range it has been replaced by aggressive introduced weeds. Furthermore it is not often collected, suggesting that it has either declined or is being overlooked by modern plant collectors.

Chromosome No.

2n = c.80-82

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Winged seeds are dispersed by water and possibly also wind and ballistic projection (Thorsen et al., 2009).

References and further reading

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

This page last updated on 13 Jun 2014