The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Carmichaelia hollowayi

Etymology

Carmichaelia: after Carmichael, a botanist

Common Name(s)

Holloways broom

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

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 - Threatened - Nationally Critical
2004 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

Qualifiers

2012 - CD, RF, RR
2009 - CD, RF, RR

Authority

Carmichaelia hollowayi G.Simpson

Family

Fabaceae

Brief Description

Rare low-growing shrub with many yellowish erect leafless orange-tipped branches inhabiting limestone in the Waitaki Valley. Branches 3.5mm wide, with rounded tip. Flowers small, pea-like, white with dark purple centre, in small clusters. Fruit a long-lasting sharp-tipped dry pod containing 1-3 hard olive seeds.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CARHOL

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island, where it is only known from limestone outcrops on the south bank of the Waitaki River.

Habitat

Limestone bluffs, outcrops, colluvium and their associated rendzina soils.

Features

Dwarf, suckering broom, up to 0.5 x 1(-2) m. Branches 10-30 mm diam., stout, horizontal, spreading, cladodes virtually leafless, 50-80(-100) x 3.5 mm, erect to spreading, yellow-green, apex rounded, never sharp-tipped. Leaves when present, simple, 4.5-12.5 x 1.8-4.5 mm, obovate to oblanceolate, green. Inflorescence a (1-)2-3-flowered raceme, flowers dark purple. Standard 7-8 x 7-8 mm, broad-orbicular, erect, purple or red-purple, margins white. Wings 5.5-6.5 x 2.5-3 mm, oblong, white, purple veined, keel 5 x 3.5 mm, distally tinged purple otherwise white or purple-veined. Pods long persistent, 8-11 x 4.8-6 mm, broad elliptic, laterally compressed, valves very flat. Seeds 2.5-2.9 x 2.4-2.6 mm, reniform, 1(-2) per pod, yellow-green or green with black mottling.

Similar Taxa

Carmichaelia hollowayi is identified by the pod, which is conspicuously laterally compressed and by the cladode apex which is rounded rather than sharp-tipped like Waitaki forms of C. petriei Kirk and C. australis R.Br. It is one of three native brooms (the others are C. astonii G.Simpson and C. glabrescens (Petrie) Heenan) naturally confined to limestone rock and associated soils.

Flowering

November - December

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

January - May

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed. Can also be grown by hardwood cuttings but these can be slow to take root. Plants will not tolerate humid conditions, and require a sunny, well drained, fertile soil.

Threats

There are less than 250 adult plants in the wild found in three populations. Because the species suckers, exact numbers of adult plants cannot be determined and it is likely than there are far fewer than currently believed. Although two of the three known populations occur on protected or covenanted land, the species remains at serious risk at all sites from browsing animals and from competition by tall grasses, shrubs and hawkweeds. Aside from these issues recruitment failure (in part linked to weed control) seems to be critical problem.

Chromosome No.

2n = 32

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seeds are possibly dispersed by wind and granivory (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 19 Dec 2014