Species

Alseuosmia pusilla

Etymology

Alseuosmia: perfume grove
pusilla: Small

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

Alseuosmia pusilla Colenso

Family

Alseuosmiaceae

Brief Description

Small shrub, inconspicuous unless in flower or fruit. Leaves glossy, often with a red margin and sometimes with a red-flecked surface. Flowers white, tubular, clustered, sweet smelling. Fruit red, fleshy, conspicuous.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ALSPUS

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 Trees & Shrubs

Distribution

Endemic. North Island from Te Moehau and Mt Pirongia south, mainly montane. South Island, in the west only from North-West Nelson to near Okarito

Flower Colours

Green,White

Propagation Technique

Can be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings though these strike with varying degrees of success. Seed is often hard to germinate. Prefers a semi-shaded site in a cool place with permanently damp soil. Slow growing and prone to sudden collapse during dry spells. However, next to A.macrophylla this is the easiest species to cultivate

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 18

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Fleshy berries dispersed by fruigivory (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 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309

This page last updated on 10 May 2014