The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. flexilis

Etymology

Wahlenbergia: Named in honour of Wahlenberg, a Swedish botanist and author of A Botany of Lapland.
albomarginata: white-margined

Common Name(s)

Ward Harebell, Marlborough Harebell

Current Conservation Status

2009 - 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

2004 - Range Restricted

Authority

Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. flexilis (Petrie) J.A.Petterson

Family

Campanulaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Wahlenbergia flexilis Petrie, Wahlenbergia simpsonii J.A.Hay

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Eastern Marlborough (coastal south of Cape Campbell to just south of Kaikoura Peninsula, and inland from the coast to the Clarence Fault))

Habitat

Mostly coastal, but extending into montane areas up the Clarence River. Common on beach gravel and limestone outcrops, bluffs and hillslopes

Features

Perennial herb with radical, rosulate tufts of leaves, sometimes alternate on elongated stems (shade form). Leaves more or less petiolate, entire (only dentate in deep shade), lamina 10 × 2 to 40 × 10 mm, prostrate leaves ovate to orbicular-spathulate (sometimes tufted along the elongating ascending stems in shade forms), gradually narrowed to petiole as long as the lamina or longer. Flowers insect-pollinated, narrowly campanulate-rotate, corolla pale flax creamy white to blusih-white, 18-25 mm diameter, 10-20 mm long, corolla tube 4 × 3 to 10 × 6 mm, lobes 6 × 3 to 12 × 5 mm; style equal in length to corolla tube, lobes 2 or 3. Calyx lobes less than ¼ corolla length, toothed and recurved in mature capsules; capsule domed cylindric, 6-8 × 4 mm. Seeds 0.5 mm long, ellipsoid, smooth, glossy brown when mature.

Similar Taxa

Similar to subsp. albomarginata, from which it differs by the prostrate leaves which are ovate to orbicular-spathulate, sometimes tufted along the elongating ascending stems in shade forms; and by the usually entire leaf margins, (except in deep shade when they may become dentate); larger creamy white to bluish white flowers; which when fresh are 18-25 mm rather than 10-20 mm diameter.

Flowering

November – April

Flower Colours

Cream,White

Fruiting

December - April

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from tip cuttings and the division of whole plants. Fresh seed germinates readily. Being insect-pollinated and having an indigenous pollinator, cultivated plants rarely set seed.

Threats

A naturally uncommon, narrow range endemic that is sparsely distributed over a wide area eastern Marlborough. Although not considered threatened, some populations suffer from browsing caused by sheep, goats, rabbits hares and other livestock.

Chromosome No.

2n = 36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 17 Apr 2014