Acaena buchananii
Common names
bidibid, piripiri
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Detailed description
Leaves milky green or grey, lacking pattern of darker veins; heads unstalked; fruits c. 10 per head; fruit spines with soft hairs bent backwards at tip.
Similar taxa
Perhaps closest to A. tesca B.Macmillan from which it differs by its more compact growth form, with densely tufted leafy stems, pale milky green or grey foliage, by the almost imbricate 5-6 leaflet pairs, and by the compressed capitula with the yellow spines held erect. The status of A. buchananii var. picta (grey leaves and red spines) needs further study.
Distribution
Eastern South Island from Marlborough to Otago. Lowland to montane short dry tussockland and turf, mainly in inland basins. In the drier parts of Central Otago it can be locally common especially in closely grazed non-improved pasture.
Habitat
Montane riverbeds and tussock grassland.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
Threats
Habitat destruction through land development such as cultivation, oversowing, irrigation, orchard and vineyard establishment.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Acaena buchananii var. picta Allan, A. buchananii var. inermis Bitter, A. depressa Kirk
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Flowers in December
Fruiting
Unknown
Life cycle and dispersal
Spiny hypanthia are dispersed by attaching to fur, feathers and clothing and possibly also dispersed by wind and granivory (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Very easy from rooted pieces.
Other information
Etymology
acaena: From the Greek ‘akanthos’ thorn, referring to the spiny calyx that many species have
buchananii: Named after John Buchanan (13 October 1819-1898) who was a New Zealand botanist and scientific artist and fellow of the Linnean Society.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
ACABUC
Chromosome number
2n = c.42
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
2009 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DP
2004 | Gradual Decline
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, NR, NStr, PF, Sp, TL
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 August 2003).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Acaena buchananii Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/acaena-buchananii/ (Date website was queried)