Species
Chaerophyllum basicola
Etymology
Chaerophyllum: From the Greek chairo 'to please' and phyllon 'leaf'
Common Name(s)
none known
Current Conservation Status
2012 - 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
Previous Conservation Status
2009 - Threatened - Nationally Critical
2004 - Threatened - Nationally Endangered
Qualifiers
2012 - CD, RR, St
2009 - CD, RR, St
Authority
Chaerophyllum basicola (Heenan et Molloy) K.F.Chung
Family
Apiaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites
Synonyms
Oreomyrrhis basicola Heenan et Molloy
Distribution
Endemic. South Island where it is known from three sites: northern Otago, at Awahokomo (upper Waitaki Valley), and from Southland at West Dome (southern Eyre Range) and Bald Hill in the Livingstone mountains.
Habitat
Known only from limestone and ultramafic rock outcrops. On limestone it is a species of sparsely vegetated habitats, including limestone pavement, fissures, talus slopes and eroding exposures of rendzina soil. Within ultramafic habitats it occupies similar situations, such as on gravel pavements and screes.
Features
Short-lived perennial herb arising from slender tap root. Leaves radical, spreading, up to 110 mm long, grey-green to blue-grey; 1(-2) pinnate with 5-8 pairs of primary pinnae. Upper leaf surface glabrous, undersides glabrous to moderately hairy, pinnae linear, entire 2-15 x 0.6-1.6 mm, decreasing in size toward distal end. Peduncles 1-10, slender, 0.7-2.0 mm diam., decumbent, spreading or ascending, sometimes branched, up to 10 mm long, covered in sparse retrorse hairs. Involucre of 4-7 linear bracts; bracts 1.8-2.8 x 0.6-1.5 mm, green, entire, margins ciliate. Pedicels initially 0.4-0.9 mm long, up to 22 mm long in fruit; flowers 7-17, 2.0-3.2 mm diam. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals 4-5, 0.6-1.2 x 0.7-0.9 mm, ovate, obovate to broadly elliptic, cream. Ovary 2.2-2.3 mm long, concial, styles 0.2-0.3 mm long slender. Filaments 0.3-0.4 mm, white; anthers 0.2-0.3 mm long, faintly rose tinted. Mericarps 4.2-4.9 x 1.2-1.6 mm, oblong, glabrous, matt, olive green. Ribs 5, prominent.
Similar Taxa
Oreomyrrhis basicola is part of the O. rigida (Kirk) Allan complex from which it is best distinguished by the grey-green to blue-green leaves with fewer primary pinnae, which are only occasionally divided into secondary pinnae.
Flowering
November - January
Flower Colours
Cream
Fruiting
January- March
Propagation Technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
It is estimated that there are <1000 plants of O. basicola scattered over three populations. Although the plants produce copious quantities of seed, and seedlings are commonly seen, adult plants tend of die after flowering. Of the three populations, Awahokomo is the most seriously threatened through displacement by introduced weeds. At the other two ultramafic habitats weeds are less of an issue, however, the populations at both sites are considered very small.
Endemic Taxon
Yes
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Hairy mericarps are dispersed by wind and possibly attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2009). Description based on Heenan & Molloy (2006 - as Oreomyrrhis basicola) - see also de Lange et al (2010).
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Norton, D.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2010: Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.
Heenan, P.B.; Molloy, B.P.J. 2006: A new species of Oreomyrrhis (Apiaceae) from southern South Island, New Zealand, and comparison of its limestone and ultramafic habitats. New Zealand Journal of Botany 44(1): 99-106.
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 11: 285-309
This page last updated on 31 Jul 2014