The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pimelea prostrata subsp. vulcanica

Etymology

Pimelea: from the Greek pimele, referring to the seeds
prostrata: prostrate
vulcanica: Of volcanoes

Common Name(s)

pinatoro

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Data Deficient

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

Pimelea prostrata subsp. vulcanica C.J.Burrows

Family

Thymelaeaceae

Brief Description

Low growing shrub with sparsely hairy short twigs bearing pairs of narrow blue-green leaves that join the stem at a small ridge, hairy white flowers and white fruit inhabiting the central North Island. Leaves 4-6mm long by 1.2-2mm wide, with a ridge underneath, often red edged.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Pimelea heterophylla Colenso

Distribution

Endemic. North Island: South Auckland and Taupo district hills (abundant on the summit of Mt Tarawera, slopes of the central North Island volcanoes, and on plains of the Volcanic Plateau, and south of Murupara); scattered on Huiarau, Kaimanawa, and north-west Ruahine Ranges.

Habitat

Short grassland, shrubland with open grassy areas and sometimes on margins of fine volcanic ejecta patches (scoria, lapillii) and alluvium, colluvium derived from such debris; also on soils derived from tephra, on bared areas in grassland and open scrubland.

Features

A small to moderately large, much-branched shrub with prostrate habit. Main stems to 600 mm long, grey-brown, relatively thin and flexible, except near the base. Branching is mainly lateral, with long, thin, flexible branchlets; secondary branchlets on these are short. Young branchlets are only sparsely hairy. Internodes 0.5–4.0 mm long. Older stems glabrous, grey-brown. Node buttresses brown, elongate, usually the whole length of the internode, with a strip of fine, short hairs between them, not very prominent on leafless stems. Leaves ascendant and imbricate; patent on laxer branchlets, on very short (0.1–0.3 mm) red petioles. Lamina narrow elliptic, 4–6 × 1.2–2 mm, glabrous, usually glaucous, medium green or sometimes yellowish-green, often red-margined, slightly keeled, acute. Mid-vein evident abaxially, sometimes reddish. Leaves on the very short lateral branchlets are relatively small. Inflorescences terminal on branchlets, 2–7-flowered. Involucral bracts 4, similar in size to adjacent leaves. Flowers white, moderately hairy outside; inside hairless or sparsely hairy in upper tube and ovary portion. Female tube 2.8 mm long, ovary portion 2.2 mm, calyx lobes 1.7 × 1.1 mm; hermaphrodite tube 4 mm long, ovary portion 1.5 mm, calyx lobes 2 × 1.4 mm. Ovary with sparse hairs at summit and about one-quarter of the way down. Fruits ovoid, fleshy, white, opaque, 4 × 2.5 mm. Seeds narrow-ovoid, 3 × 1.3 mm, thin crest.

Similar Taxa

Plants of the Pimelea prostrata complex are distinguished by the prostrate to decumbent growth habit; by the glabrous to sparse or moderate hair covering on young stem internodes and by the thin and pliable, completely glabrous leaves with stomata clearly visible on both leaf surfaces. Pimelea prostrata subsp. vulcanica is distinguished from subsp. prostrata, subsp. seismica, subsp. thermalis and subsp. ventosa by the node buttresses elongate to covering the entire internode length; by the short, inconspicuous, secondary lateral branches and by the true leaves which are slightly keeled, up to 6 .0 × 1.2–2 mm and which have acute apices

Flowering

September - May

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

October - July

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from semi-hardwood cuttings and rooted pieces. Seed is difficult to germinate. Best grown in a well drained soil in full sun. An excellent plant for the rockery

Threats

Burrows (2009) describes this subspecies as plentiful though he discusses threats which include heather (Calluna vulgaris) lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and sucession to taller vegetation. It probably warrrants a precautionary listing of Data Deficient.

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 6 Jan 2014