Pimelea oreophila subsp. ephaistica
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 | Data Deficient
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Data Deficient
2009 | Data Deficient
Brief description
Very low growing sprawling shrub with hairy thin flexible twigs bearing pairs of dark blue-green pointed leaves that are sparsely hairy underneath, hairy white flowers and red fruit inhabiting the central North Island. Twigs 2.5 to 3.5mm thick. Leaves 4-8mm long by 2-4mm wide, widest at base.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Pureora, Hauhangaroa Range, Central Volcanic Plateau, western Kaimanawa and northern Ruahine Ranges)
Habitat
Montane to alpine, on developed and recent (skeletal) soils derived from tephra amongst tall and short tussock grasslands, in open shrublands, low scrub and in Schoenus pauciflorus sedgelands.
Detailed description
Procumbent, trailing shrub, with few to many, slender (2.0–2.5 mm), brown, flexible young stems, these invested with a moderate cover of short, appressed hairs, internodes 2–4mm long, node buttresses lunate to elongate, not prominent on leafless stems. Older stems slender (to 3.5 mm), dark brown, 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, usually ovate, narrow, flat, often with a red margin flat, mid-vein evident; tip acute but usually blunt-pointed, sometimes obtuse; base cuneate; abaxial hairs short, white, usually sparse on margins, midrib and 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, red, 4 × 3 mm. Seeds ovoid 2.7 × 2.3 mm.
Similar taxa
The only subspecies of P. oreophila to be found in the North Island where it is endemic to the central North Island Volcanic Plateau and adjacent western Kaimanawa and northern Ruahine Ranges. It is distinguished from the other subspecies of Pimelea oreophila by the usually flat, ovate leaves whose abaxial surface margins, mid-vein and apices are sparsely covered in short, caducous hairs; and by the slender young stems (2.0–2.5mm thick).
Flowering
September - February
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
Unknown
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. ephaistica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pimelea-oreophila-subsp-ephaistica/ (Date website was queried)