The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pimelea oreophila subsp. oreophila

Etymology

Pimelea: from the Greek pimele, referring to the seeds
oreophila: Mountain lover

Common Name(s)

Pimelea

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

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 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Pimelea oreophila C.J.Burrows subsp. oreophila

Family

Thymelaeaceae

Brief Description

Low-growing spreading shrub with hairy branches 2.5-3.5mm thick and to 50cm bearing pairs of narrow pointed leaves that are sparsely hairy underneath and with hairy white flowers and red or orange fruit inhabiting the wetter southern South Island. Leaves 4-8mm long by 2-4mm wide.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

PIMOSO

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: Cantebury, Westland, Otago (mostly western but also sparse central), western Southland and Fiordland

Habitat

Montane to alpine, in open forest near the treeline, in tall and short tussock grassland associated with a wide range of other small grasses, forbs, dwarf shrubs and some medium height shrubs. Usually above the treeline but also at lower levels (500 m or less) in places where frosts are severe in valley floors and where forest has been removed by fire.

Features

Procumbent, trailing shrub, with few to many, moderately thick (2.5–3.5 mm), flexible light brown young stems these covered invested with a moderate cover of short, appressed hairs; internodes 2.5–5.0 mm, node buttresses usually lunate, sometimes elongate. Older stems up to 6.0 mm diameter, 100–500 mm long, occasionally with adventitious roots, sometimes climbing in upright shrubs. Reduced in stature on exposed sites with rocky substrates, sometimes forming short-stemmed, appressed rosettes. Branching mainly sympodial. Young stems brown, moderately densely covered in short or moderately long, white, grey or sometimes yellowish appressed hair cover; older stems darker brown, glabrate. Internodes of young stems 1–5mm long. Node buttresses lunate to elongate, or sometimes extending the full length of internodes, with bands of hair between; usually not very prominent on leafless stems. Leaves decussate, on short (0.5–1.0 mm), often red petioles, ascending at first, usually becoming patent, often with a distichous appearance on prostrate stems. Lamina 4–8 × 2–4 mm, glaucous or medium to dark green, usually elliptic, sometimes ovate, adaxially concave and slightly keeled, mid-vein evident; tip acute but usually blunt-pointed, sometimes obtuse; base cuneate; abaxially bearing sparse, short, white to dull-white hairs along lamina margins, mid-veins and tips; with or without an apical coma, often becoming glabrous as leaves age; stomata on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Inflorescences terminal, 5–15-flowered, receptacle densely covered in short hairs. Involucral bracts 4, the same size as ordinary leaves, or larger (6 × 4 mm). Plants gynodioecious. Flowers white, fragrant, on short pedicels (0.3 mm) densely covered with short hairs outside; inside hairless. Female tube 2.5–4.0 mm long, ovary portion 3 mm, calyx lobes 1–2 ×1 mm; hermaphrodite tube 4–6 mm long, ovary portion 2 mm, calyx lobes 2.0–3.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm. Anther dehiscence introrse. Ovary with dense clump of short or long hairs at summit. Fruits ovoid, fleshy, orange or red, 4 × 3 mm. Seeds ovoid 2.7 × 2.3 mm.

Similar Taxa

Recognised by the stems which are 2.5–3.5 mm diameter, and elliptic, slightly keeled leaves whose abaxial surface leaf margins, mid-vein and apex are sparsely covered in short, sparse often caducous abaxial hairs. Further Pimelea oreophila subsp. oreophila is confined to the Southern Alps, northern Canterbury, and from Westland to southern Fiordland.

Flowering

September - February

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

October - May

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. Does best in a well drained soil and planted in a sunny situation (such as in a rockery or pot)

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 22 Oct 2014