Species
Argyrotegium nitidulum
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 - Range Restricted
Qualifiers
2012 - RR, TO
Authority
Argyrotegium nitidulum (Hook.f.) J. Ward et Brietwieser
Family
Asteraceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
ARGNIT
The
National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites
Synonyms
Gnaphalium nitidulum Hook.f., Euchiton nitidulus (Hook.f.) Anderb.
Distribution
Indigenous. South Island, Marlborough and near Arthurs Pass. Present in Australia
Habitat
Alpine, favouring open stony ground within tussock grassland, herbfield. Also on scree.
Features
Stoloniferous perennial with much-branched, densely packed stems terminating in leafy rosettes and usually forming compact cushion or ball-like mats, 20-40 mm tall. Leaves mostly in basal rosettes, imbricating, initially erect then reflexing with age, basally scarious to almost glabrous though usually with a few floccose hairs near junction with stem, upper portion clad in appressed, sericeous, glossy brown tomentum; basal leaves slightly narrowed to broad sheathing petiole, densely sericeous on both surfaces including mid-vein but not petiole, keeled toward apex, lamina narrow-oblong to spathulate, obtuse, 5-12 × 2-4 mm; cauline leaves 1-2, narrow. Capitula solitary, subsessile or sessile c.5-8 mm diameter; subtending leaves < capitula; scape terminal, simple, erect, amongst leaves at flowering, elongating only to just above leaves at fruiting. Involucral bracts scarious, narrowly elliptic-oblong, subacute, 6.9-8.0 mm long; stereome yellow-green; lamina very pale brown, sometimes darker at base; gap and margins clear to mid-brown. Achenes 1.0-1.2 mm long, with scattered appressed hairs, becoming glabrous. Pappus of c.30-36 filiform hairs, c.6.0-6.2 mm. long.
Similar Taxa
Both Argyrotegium nitidulum and A. mackayi are mat-forming species with solitary terminal flowers. Argyrotegium nitidulum is distinguished from A. mackayi by the leaf hairs which are more or less straight, antrorse, appressed and glossy rather than tangled and white.
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
December - February
Propagation Technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
While not actively threatened this is a very uncommon plant in New Zealand. To ensure its long term security it is important that all populations are routinely monitored. Some populations are especially vulnerable to plant collectors and to a lesser extent the spread of weeds.
Chromosome No.
2n = 28
Endemic Taxon
No
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
References and further reading
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 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309
This page last updated on 10 May 2014