Species
Pimelea traversii subsp. boreus
Etymology
Pimelea: from the Greek pimele, referring to the seeds
traversii: Named after William Thomas Locke Travers (1819-1903) who was an Irish lawyer, magistrate, politician, explorer, naturalist, photographer. He lived in New Zealand from 1849 and was a fellow of the Linnean Society.
Current Conservation Status
2018 - Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable
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
Qualifiers
2009 - RR, Sp
Authority
Pimelea traversii subsp. borea C.J.Burrows
Family
Thymelaeaceae
Brief Description
Bushy shrub to 80cm tall erect slightly hairy branches bearing pairs of green leaves, hairy white and pink flowers and dry fruit inhabiting limestone areas in eastern Marlborough. Leaves 6-10mm long by 3-6mm wide. Fruit hairy, enclosing black seed.
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs
Synonyms
Pimelea traversii subsp. boreus C.J.Burrows orth.var.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (eastern Marlborough)
Habitat
Lowland to montane limestone rock outcrops in open sites or amongst scrub. Exact habitat preferences and associated vegetation unknown.
Features
A much-branched small to mediumsized shrub up to 800 mm tall (reduced in stature on exposed sites, rocky substrates, and poor soils). Branches erect, ± fastigiate; branchlets hairy at leaf axils and on receptacles, glabrous or, in some forms, with bands of hair between node buttresses on internodes. Node buttresses relatively narrow and intervening internode surfaces sometimes covered with short, villous hair, medium to dark brown or black, usually prominent after leaf fall, stems aging grey-brown, grey or black. Internodes 1–4 mm long. Leaves decussate, ascending to patent, often closely imbricate, on very short petioles (0.2 mm) or sessile. Lamina large, light olive green, sometimes red-margined, moderately thick to distinctly membranous, elliptic to broad elliptic, 6–10 × 3–6 mm, slightly keeled, concave above, obtuse, base angustate or cuneate. Margins thickened, slightly down-turned; midvein evident on under side, lateral veins obscure. Stomata only on abaxial side. Inflorescences many-flowered, pedicels 0.2 mm long, persistent. Involucral bracts 4, usually wider than the leaves (6–9 × 4–8 mm). Plants gynodioecious. Flowers hairy on outside; inside densely hairy in ovary portion and lower tube, sometimes sparsely hairy in upper tube; fragrant, white, sometimes pinkish with red lower tube. Calyx lobes open in salverform fashion. Female tube to 6 mm long, ovary portion 4 mm, calyx lobes 2.5 × 1.3 mm. Staminodes short, at mouth of tube. Female tube to 9 mm long, ovary portion 3 mm, calyx lobes 4 × 2.2 mm; anther filaments inserted below mouth of tube; anthers yellow. Ovary with abundant hair at summit, less densely hairy to about half-way down. Fruits ovoid, green, drying brown, 4 mm long. Seeds ovoid, 3.5 × 1.6 mm. Dried hypanthia persistant and dispersing with fruits inside.
Similar Taxa
Pimelea traversii subsp. boreus is confined to north-eastern Marlborough where it grows on limestone and other calcareous rocks. It differs from subsp. traversii by its taller size, larger leaves and by the presence of sparse hairs on the stem internodes. Pimelea traversii subsp. exedra is (at least so far) known from one site on the Livingston Range where it grows on ultramafic rocks. It differs from subsp. traversii by the smaller grow habit (up to 250 mm tall) and by having larger flowers. As some of these distinctions seem fairly arbitrary it is clear that further critical study of the range of variation in P. traversii using cytological and molecular techniques is needed.
Flowering
October – April
Flower Colours
Red / Pink,White
Fruiting
December - June
Propagation Technique
Not known from cultivation - see P. traversii subsp. traversii
Threats
First recognised in June 2008 very little is known about this plant. It is said to be very uncommon. Further survey is needed to determine its exact status.
Endemic Taxon
Yes
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
This page last updated on 6 Jan 2019