The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Alseuosmia banksii var. linariifolia

Etymology

Alseuosmia: perfume grove
banksii: Named after Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (24 February 1743 - 19 June 1820) was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences.
linariifolia: linear leaf

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 - Data Deficient
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Alseuosmia banksii var. linariifolia (A.Cunn.) R.O.Gardner

Family

Alseuosmiaceae

Brief Description

Shrub of Northland forests. Leaves vary, much longer than wide, green, margin smooth. Flower white, tubular, dropping, inconspicuous. Fruit fleshy, red.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ALSBVL

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Alseuosmia linariifolia

Distribution

Endemic. North Island only, local from Kaitaia to about Kaiwaka

Habitat

Coastal to lowland. Often in alluvial forest, and/or mixed hardwood forest. Often associated with kauri (Agathis australis (D.Don) Lindl.).

Features

Bushy slender shrub up to c.1 m tall; branchlets slender, spreading, red-brown, pubescent. Leaves on petioles up to 10 mm long, slender, flattened, pubescent. Lamina submembranous, narrow-linear to linear, 5.0-30.0 × 2.5-7.0 mm; yellow-green to dark green, often more or less red-flushed, rarely flecked, apex acute, base attenuate to cuneately narrowed. Margins entire to subentire – and then with only a few faint teeth toward apex. Flowers 10-15 mm long, mostly solitary, rarely in fascicles of 2-3 together. Calyx pubescent; lobes 4 deeply cut to ½-way, bluntly triangular, pubescent. Corolla tube 8-10 mm long; very slightly flaring, greenish yellow or yellow with red-tinges or completely pink; lobes 3.0-3.5 mm, fimbriate, flaring widely at anthesis. Berry 5-9 × 4-7 mm subglobose to subturbinate, fleshy, red, puberulent.

Similar Taxa

Not very well known. The type corresponds to an erect, heavily branched shrub with very small, linear leaves (up to 30 x 2.5-3.0 mm), and small creamy yellow flowers (up to 15 mm long). In Northland there is an distinctive Alseuosmia, which is usually unbranched, and has long, narrow linear leaves (up to 100 x 5-8 mm). The flowers are much longer (up to 15 mm long), and varying in colour from pink through yellow to crimson. This form many people have come to regard as A. banksii var. linariifolia. This is not so, it does not match the type with respect to its growth habit, leaf size or flowers. Preliminary Genomic Insitu Hybridisations (P. J. de Lange & P. M. Datson unpubl. data) suggest that it warrants recognition as a separate species. Gardner (1977) treated it as a form of A. quercifolia A.Cunn., a species he regarded as a hybrid complex (A. xquercifolia A.Cunn.).

Flowering

September - December

Flower Colours

Green,Yellow

Fruiting

November - February

Propagation Technique

Can be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings though these strike with varying degrees of success. Seed is often hard to germinate. Does best in semi-shade in a sheltered site. Difficult to grow.

Threats

Uncertain. This plant is not very well known, and due to confusion over its exact identity, most records actually refer to an apparently unnamed species instead. Further survey to ascertain its exact status is urgently needed as current indications are that this plant is extremely uncommon with most records coming from roadside scrub and unprotected forest remnants.

Chromosome No.

2n = 18

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 6 May 2011