The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pleurophyllum hookeri

Etymology

Pleurophyllum: From Greek pleuro- (rib, side) and phyllo- (leaf) components meaning 'ribbed-leaved'.
hookeri: Named after Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (born 1817) - a world famous botanist who travelled on the Antarctic expedition of 1839 under the command of Sir James Ross and wrote "Handbook of New Zealand Flora" published in 1864-67 describing many specimens sent to Kew by collectors. He died in 1911 and has a memorial stone at Westminster Abbey London.

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, SO

Authority

Pleurophyllum hookeri Buchanan

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None (first described in 1884)

Distribution

Endemic to Auckland, Campbell and Macquarie Islands in the sub-Antarctics.

Habitat

Apparently restricted to montane herbfields.

Features

Radical leaves ± 150-350 × 45-65 mm, obovate-oblong, abruptly acute to acuminate, narrowed to sheathing base, coriac., completely clad in dense silvery tomentum; margins rather closely crenulate to subentire, hydathodes evident, sheaths densely clad in long floccose hairs; ribs c.10-15, inconspicuous. Scapes up to 600 mm long, grooved, tomentose; lower leaves narrow-oblong, upper linear; racemes with c.10-20 capitula, each c. 20 mm diameter. Involucral bracts linear-lanceolate, acuminate, with scattered hairs. Ray-florets short, inconspicuous; disk-florets purple; achenes with silky to substrigose hairs. Pappus-hairs hardly or not at all thickened above

Similar Taxa

Distinguished from Pleurophyllum criniferum and P. speciosum by having leaves with both sides covered with silvery appressed tomentum. It is otherwise most similar to P. criniferum with which it shares capitula which have inconspicuous ray florets.

Flowering

December - February

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple

Fruiting

January - May

Propagation Technique

Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild

Threats

In the geopolitical New Zealand part of its range this is a naturally uncommon species. It is widespread and common within its New Zealand island habitants, with both the Auckland and Campbell Islands being Nature Reserves and World Heritage sites with access only by permit, and strictly limited as to numbers of people. This species is however possibly threatened on Macquarie Island, where rabbits have become a serious problem.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 7 Jan 2014