The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Bulbinella rossii

Etymology

Bulbinella: little bulb
rossii: Named for William Ross, a botanical collector; or Capt. James Ross, leader of an arctic expedition; or others named Ross, depending on genus

Common Name(s)

Ross Lily

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 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Bulbinella rossii (Hook.f.) Cheeseman

Family

Asphodelaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

BULROS

Structural Class

Monocotyledonous Herbs

Synonyms

Chrysobactron rossii Hook.f.; Anthericum rossii (Hook.f.) Hook.f.

Distribution

Endemic. Auckland and Campbell Islands

Habitat

Widespread and common from sea level to the tops of island ranges. Flourishes in disturbed sites, and so common near old habitations and because it is not especially palatable, where browsing animals congregate. prefers open herbfield and tussock grassland, where it may form dense colonies.

Features

Dioecious, stout, perennial lily up to 1 m tall and 40 mm diameter at the base. Leaves fleshy, 0.6-1m x 15-60 mm wide, dark green, obtuse to subacute, apices recurved, nerves faint to prominent, easily felt when fresh. Peduncle up to 10 mm diameter, usually < leaf length. Inflorescence a cylindric raceme up to 150 x 600 mm; bracts and pedicels of almost equal length in female flowers and conspicuous in bud; in males < pedicels and inconspicuous in bud; pedicels 10-20 mm long, swollen just below flower. Flowers numerous, densely crowded, 10-14 mm diameter, golden yellow to sulphur yellow, often faintly tinged with orange; tepals oblong-ovate, spreading in males in females erect and remaining so, usually hardening as fruit ripens. Stamens < tepals; anthers in males conspicuously filled with pollen, in females rudimentary. Ovary 2 mm long, broad right to base. Capsule 10 mm long, broadly ovoid, gynophore absent. Seeds 4-6 mm long, dark brown to black, narrowly winged.

Similar Taxa

None. This is the only species of Bulbinella Kunth present on the subantarctic islands. Bulbinella rossii is perhaps closest to B. gibbsii Cockayne, from which it differs by its greater stature, leaves up to 60 mm wide, cylindric rather than conical racemes held on a stout rather than slender axis which is obscured by the densely crowded flowers and fruits rather than more or less visible. Bulbinella rossii has a distinctly capitate rather than scarcely capitate stigma.

Flowering

October - January

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

December - March

Propagation Technique

Difficult - should not be removed from the wild. It has been cultivated with limited success in the more southerly parts of New Zealand.

Threats

Not Threatened. Listed only because with respect to the rest of the New Zealand archipelago it occupies a small geographic area

Chromosome No.

2n = 14

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Winged seeds are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 25 May 2014