Pimelea oreophila subsp. lepta
Common name
pimelea
Synonyms
None (first described in 2011)
Family
Thymelaeaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Data Deficient
Brief description
Low-growing spreading shrub with hairy branches to 50cm bearing pairs of narrow pointed leaves that are hairy underneath and with a small bump at the tip (lens needed) and with hairy white flowers and red or orange fruit inhabiting the southeastern South Island. Leaves 4-8mm long by 2-4mm wide.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (southern Canterbury, north, east and central Otago, Southland, eastern Fiordland)
Habitat
Montane to alpine. In tall and short tussock grassland, open shrubland and on peat along bog margins. Mainly associated with schist substrates but also on sandstone, plutonics, ultramafics, limestone.
Detailed description
Procumbent, trailing shrub, with few to many, slender (2.0–2.5 mm), brown, flexible young stems densely covered in long, fine hairs, internodes 2–4 mm, node buttresses lunate, or extending the whole length of the internodes, with hairy strips between, sometimes moderately prominent on leafless stems. Older stems dark brown, up to 3 mm diameter, up to 500 mm long, occasionally with adventitious roots, sometimes climbing in upright shrubs. Reduced in stature on exposed sites with rocky substrates, sometimes forming short-stemmed, appressed rosettes. Branching mainly sympodial. Young stems brown, moderately densely covered in short or moderately long, white, grey or sometimes yellowish appressed hair cover; older stems darker brown, glabrate. Internodes of young stems 1–5mm long. Node buttresses lunate to elongate, or sometimes extending the full length of internodes, with bands of hair between; usually not very prominent on leafless stems. Leaves decussate, on short (0.5–1.0 mm), often red petioles, ascending at first, usually becoming patent, often with a distichous appearance on prostrate stems. Lamina 4–8 × 2–4 mm, glaucous or medium to dark green, elliptic or ovate flat or keeled, mid-vein evident; tip acute but usually blunt-pointed, sometimes obtuse; base cuneate; abaxial hairs long, dull white to yellowish, usually moderately dense especially at margins and forming a distinct coma at the tip, often becoming glabrous as leaves age; stomata on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Inflorescences terminal, 5–15-flowered, receptacle densely covered in short hairs. Involucral bracts 4, the same size as ordinary leaves, or larger (6 × 4 mm). Plants gynodioecious. Flowers white, fragrant, on short pedicels (0.3 mm) densely covered with short hairs outside; inside hairless. Female tube 2.5–4.0 mm long, ovary portion 3 mm, calyx lobes 1–2 ×1 mm; hermaphrodite tube 4–6 mm long, ovary portion 2 mm, calyx lobes 2.0–3.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm. Anther dehiscence introrse. Ovary with dense clump of short or long hairs at summit. Fruits ovoid, fleshy, orange or red, 4 × 3 mm. Seeds ovoid 2.7 × 2.3 mm.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the other subspecies of Pimelea oreophila by the short or long leaves whose abaxial surface is either moderately densely covered in long hairs and by the consistent presence of an apical coma. Pimelea oreophila subsp. lepta is also recognised in the field by its geographic restriction to Southland, Otago (east of the lakes), and southern Canterbury (where it is scarce).
Flowering
September - February
Fruiting
October - May
Propagation technique
Easily grown from semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. Does best in a well drained soil and planted in a sunny situation (such as in a rockery or pot)
Threats
Probably not threatened. However as Pimelea oreophila subsp. lepta was not assessed by Burrows (2011) using the New Zealand Threat Classification Manual (Townsend et al. 2008) it has no valid threat assessment. So at this stage it seems best to recommend a interim threat assessment of “Data Deficient”.
Etymology
pimelea: Pimeleoides means “resembling Pimelea’’, a genus in the family Thymelaeaceae (Greek, -oides = resembling, like).
oreophila: Mountain lover
Where to Buy
Not commercially available.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (28 April 2011). Description adapted from Burrows (2011).
References and further reading
Burrows, C.J. 2011: Genus Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) in New Zealand 4. The taxonomic treatment of ten endemic abaxially hairy-leaved species. New Zealand Journal of Botany 49: 41–106.
Townsend, A.J.; de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Molloy, J.; Miskelly, C.; Duffy, C. 2008: The New Zealand Threat Classification System manual. Wellington, Department of Conservation.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pimelea oreophila subsp. lepta Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pimelea-oreophila-subsp-lepta/ (Date website was queried)