The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Brachyscome lucens

Etymology

Brachyscome: short hair (no papys on fruit)
lucens: shining

Common Name(s)

Ward Beach daisy

Current Conservation Status

2018 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

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

Authority

Brachyscome lucens Molloy et Heenan

Family

Asteraceae

Brief Description

Daisy of calcareous substrates with narrowly attenuate, entire linear-spathulate leaves with strongly recurved leaf margins and indistinct petioles, upper surface mid-green, glossy.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None - first described in 2019

Distribution

Endemic. South Island, Marlborough, Flaxbourne River mouth and Ward Beach

Habitat

Restricted to limestone outcrop where it grows on ledges, stable stony ground, and stony colluvium, Usually in shaded and/or moist sites.

Features

Perennial herb, stoloniferous, stolons up to 5.0 mm diam., forming clumps of few to multiple rosettes. Leaves 15–40 × 4–8 mm, linear-spathulate to narrowly obovate, glabrous, coriaceous, glossy, green and sometimes suffused with purple, sparse glandular hairs at base, amphistomatic, midrib immersed above, midrib and laterals ridged beneath, gradually narrowing to v-shaped winged petiole; apex obtuse to rounded; margin entire, recurved, more-or-less irregular in outline; base attenuate; alternate on stolons, or clustered and forming rosettes on short lateral shoots. Peduncles 1.7–13.0 cm long, 1.0–1.8 mm wide, 1 per rosette; hairs short, stalked, glandular, dense and shorter below capitulum; bracts absent. Flowers 20–25 mm wide when open. Receptacle c. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, subconical, alveolate, glabrous. Involucre 5–8 mm wide; bracts 15–25, 1–2(–3) rows; outer bracts 4.0–4.6 mm long, 1.0–1.2 mm wide, oblong-elliptic, green suffused with red, densely to moderately glandular, apex obtuse; inner bracts smaller, 2.3–3.3 mm long, sparsely glandular or glabrous, margins hyaline, fimbriate, green suffused with purple. Ray florets 25–35, female; corolla limb 5.9–7.8 mm long, 1.3–1.5 mm wide, white with very pale purple-pink flush beneath, base attenuate to cuneate, apex obtuse to subacute; corolla tube 0.9–1.1 mm long, with sparse glandular hairs; ovary 1.4–1.7 mm long, glabrous, smooth; style 1.7–2.0 mm long, whitish-green; stigma 2-fid, arms 0.6–0.8 mm long, emergent from corolla. Disc florets 38–41, hermaphrodite; corolla 2.4–2.7 mm long, c. 0.7 mm wide, yellow, sparsely glandular, 5-lobed, stylar tube c. 0.4 mm long; filaments 1.5–1.7 mm long, anthers c. 0.3 mm long, basifixed; ovary 1.2–1.4 mm long, glabrous, smooth; style 1.9–2.1 mm long, whitish-green; stigma 2-fid, arms c. 0.5 mm long, emergent from corolla. Cypsela 2.5–3.0 mm long, 0.9–1.0 mm wide, narrowly obovate to obovate-elliptic, glabrous, smooth, compressed, light brown or yellow-brown, biconvex, apex rounded, base attenuate, margin with obtuse rib; pappus corona of few, scattered, erect bristles, c. 0.05 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Brachyscome lucens is distinguished from other New Zealand species of Brachyscome in having simple, entire and glossy leaves, with strongly recurved margins and apices. Plants have been confused with Brachyscome longiscapa which has predominantly entire leaves, but sometimes plants occur with a few weakly toothed leaves; in this species the leaves are broader with obtuse bases, a distinct petiole, matt upper surface, yellow-green or brown-green colour, and flat or upturned margins. Brachyscome lucens is associated with widespread and common B. sinclairii which differs in having distinctly lobed/toothed leaves. Hybrids between these two species have been collected.

Flowering

Unknown.

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

Unknown.

Propagation Technique

Not known from cultivation

Threats

As Brachyscome (a) (WELT SP010278; Ward), B. lucens has been assessed as Threatened, Nationally Critical A(3) by de Lange et al. (2018). The total area of occupancy of the species is ≤ 1 hectare. The qualifiers OL (one location) and DP (data poor) apply as the species is only known from limestone outcrops near Ward Beach, on the north side of Flaxbourne River mouth. Data poor refers the lack of population trend data.

Chromosome No.

2n = 18

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 5 Sep 2019