Species

Epilobium vernicosum

Etymology

Epilobium: From the Greek epi- 'upon' and lobos 'a pod', the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
vernicosum: polished

Common Name(s)

None known

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 - Data Deficient

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Epilobium vernicosum Cheeseman

Family

Onagraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

EPIVER

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

Included by Raven & Raven (1976) within a broad circumscription of Epilobium glabellum G.Forst.

Distribution

Endemic to the western side of the South Island of New Zealand where it is known only from North West Nelson to South Westland.

Habitat

Montane to subalpine screes and rock outcrops.

Features

Stout herb with woody base. Branches up to 20 cm long, reddish-green, numerous, decumbent at base, then ascending, erect at tips. Leaves (6-)15(-20) × (3-)8-10) mm, narrow-oblong to ovate-oblong, margins obscurely toothed, very glossy, dark green, often reddish. Flowers pink 12-20 mm diameter, with the broad petals deeply lobed. Capsules hairless, 15-25 mm long. Seeds brown 0.8-1.4 mm.

Similar Taxa

This species is closely allied to E. glabellum - with which it was placed by Raven & Raven (1976). It differs from that species and those allied to it by its ecological preference for base-rich rocks (e.g., limestone, marble), it decumbent habit, very glossy leaves, and much larger, pale pink, deeply lobed flowers.

Flowering

December - February

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

January - April

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from seed and rooted pieces of stem.

Threats

Always considered uncommon (Allan 1961). Although it would seem unlikely to be seriously threatened the exact status of this species throughout its range is uncertain, a situation exacerbated because it is treated by Raven & Raven (1976) and Webb et al. (1988: Flora 4) as part of the range of variation exhibited by the very common E. glabellum. This has meant that most recent field surveys have not specifically recognised it.

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute pappate seeds are wind dispersed (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 22 Sep 2014