The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Wahlenbergia rupestris

Etymology

Wahlenbergia: Named in honour of Wahlenberg, a Swedish botanist and author of A Botany of Lapland.
rupestris: From the Latin rupes 'rock, cliff', meaning growing in rocky places

Common Name(s)

White Harebell

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

Wahlenbergia rupestris G.Simpson

Family

Campanulaceae

Brief Description

Radicate, perennial herb. Stems slender, erect, 100-500 mm tall, branching from the base, terete. Leaves alternate, usually linear-oblanceolate to linear*, 15-20 mm long, subentire, with scattered hairs on margins and lamina. Flowers pure white, 9-25 mm diameter, corolla almost tubeless, with long lobes and shallow, saucer-shaped tube 2 × 5 mm. Capsule glabrous, 7 × 3 to 10 × 4 mm, ellipsoid to obconic. *W. colensoi was named for forms with spathulate basal leaves rather than linear; as currently described, W. rupestris includes plants once known as W. colensoi.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

WAHRUP

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Wahlenbergia colensoi N.E.Br. pro. parte., Wahlenbergia gracilis sensu Allan nom. inv.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North and South Islands (mainly inland sites from Whanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, and Wairarapa to Central Otago, excluding Canterbury Plains but including Banks Peninsula and Otago Peninsula

Habitat

Coastal to montane. Usually on rocks, cliffs, river gorges and on sparsely vegetated terraces. Only coastal in southern part of range.

Features

Radicate, perennial herb. Stems slender, erect, 100-500 mm tall, branching from the base, terete. Leaves alternate, often dark green, usually linear-oblanceolate to linear*, 15-20 mm long, subentire, with scattered hairs on margins and lamina. Callus teeth 4-5 on each margin. Bracts linear, 4-20 × 2 mm. Flowers self-compatible, pure white, 9-25 mm diameter, 6-13 mm long, on slender pedicels 50-100 mm long. Corolla rotate, almost tubeless, with long lobes and shallow, saucer-shaped tube 2 × 5 mm. Corolla lobes 8 × 5 mm to 11 × 6 mm, strongly constricted below stigma lobes, white. Calyx glabrous, lobes 2.0 × 0.7 mm to 3.0 × 1.0 mm, narrow-triangular, erect. Capsule glabrous, 7 × 3 to 10 × 4 mm, ellipsoid to obconic. Bud at anther dehiscence slender, pointed. Seeds 0.5 mm long. *W. colensoi was named for forms with spathulate basal leaves rather than linear; as currently described, W. rupestris includes plants once known as W. colensoi.

Similar Taxa

Recognised by the dark green to reddish-green, often narrow, alternate leaves; pure white long-petalled rotate flowers, with very shallow saucer-shaped tube and elliptic corolla lobes which are separate to base (not overlapping), resulting in a stark-like appearance when viewed from above.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

December to February

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Does best in a sunny situation in well drained soil. In suitable conditions it freely naturalises and can even become weedy.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 72

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 12 Dec 2018