The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Plantago obconica

Etymology

Plantago: old Latin name for flat-leaved plants
obconica: Inverted cone

Common Name(s)

None known

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Sparse

Qualifiers

2012 - DP, RR, Sp
2009 - DP

Authority

Plantago obconica Sykes

Family

Plantaginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

PLAOBC

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago).

Habitat

Subalpine to alpine (1500-1800 m. a.s.l.) where it grows in acidic bogs with other small herbs, often in areas subject to flooding, often for protracted periods.

Features

Small rosette-forming prostrate herb, presumably perennial. Primary root short-lived, dying to leave a circular root scar cavity 4-5 mm diameter, a circle of adventitious roots developing around the scar periphery. Stem very short, simple, with tuft of pale brown hairs 6-8 mm long. Leaves sessile, c.10.0-36.0 × 0.4-1.8 mm, subulate or linear-subulate, thick, with lower surface rounded and upper surface slightly concave, entire and glabrous or with scattered obtuse teeth which are often hairy, these hairs usually sparse except towards base. Flowers solitary on a short ± appressed hairy scape 1-8 mm long, elongating to c. 3-11 mm in fruit, almost hidden by long stem hairs. Bracts 2-4 mm long, broad ovate-elliptic, membranous except for herbaceous keel, glabrous. Calyx 3.5-5.0 × c.2.0 mm; segments + elliptic, membranous except for herbaceous keel, narrow, glabrous. Corolla 4-5 mm long, membranous; lobes 1.7-2.5 mm long, elliptic to ovate; often appearing lanceolate because of inrolled margins. Stamens 3-5 mm long; anthers apiculate. Ovary with 820 ovules; style 6-10 mm long, glandular-scaly, and rather densely hairy. Capsule 4.5-11.0 × 2.0-3.5 mm diameter across base of cap (across area of dehiscence), ± ellipsoid; basal part usually 3-9 mm long, obconic or funnelform, conspicuous and persistent; dehiscent cap 1.2-2.0 mm high, obversely campanulate. Seeds 5-11, including several aborted ones, normal ones 1.0-1.9 × 0.7-1.2 mm, ± ellipsoid or ovoid-ellipsoid but tending irregular, rather flattened.

Similar Taxa

Allied to P. triandra Bergg. from which it differs by the very large, rather conspicuous, funnelform (obconic) capsule, smaller, finer subulate leaves, fewer seeds, and different chromosome number (2n = 12 cf. 2n = 48 in P. triandra).

Flowering

January - March

Fruiting

February - May

Propagation Technique

Unknown

Threats

An apparently naturally uncommon, high altitude, biologically sparse species. However, because it is so small it is easily overlooked, and it is probably more widespread than is currently known. Further survery to ascertain an exact status is much desired.

Chromosome No.

2n = 12

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 7 Jan 2014