Acaena minor var. antarctica
Biostatus
Native
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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Simplified description
An evergreen hairy silvery bluish-green herb, which spreads up to a 1 metre across and about 15 cm in height. The pinnate leaves are delicate and toothed with hairy tips and may be folded upwards lengthways. The globe shaped flower balls are white and grow into a cluster of hooked spikes, which when ripe brown off, become firm and may stick to your socks or laces when brushed past in order to disperse. Only found on Sub-Antarctic Islands.
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Stoloniferous, prostrate, trailing perennial herb, primary stems 2-3.5 mm diameter, forming a loose mat up to 1 metre in diameter. Stems 1-2 mm diameter, hairy, up to 50 cm long, and/or 5-15 cm high, rooting at nodes; Stipules entire to trifid. Leaves odd-pinnate, more than 50 mm long with 7-15 leaflets; Leaflets folded length wise, longer than wide rounded at each end, bluish green on both surfaces, serrated toothed margin, 11-15 teeth are hair-tipped, upper surface hairless, lower surface sparsely hairy along primary and secondary veins. Inflorescence scape up to 60-70 mm, densely silky-hair covered. Capitulum 7-9 mm diameter of 100-130 florets, each floret has 4 sepals, 2 stamen, dark red anthers, 1 white style, 1 achene; Fruit roughly cone-shaped, each having 4 barb-tipped red or yellow spines, 6-12 mm long, which mature dry, pale brown when ripe, enabling attachment to passing hairy/feathered surfaces as vector, and/or to aid wind dispersal.
Similar taxa
Easily confused with Acaena minor var. minor, which is generally a smaller plant in all components apart from the size of the capitulum which is 9-14 mm compared to 7-9 mm in A. minor var. antarctica.
Distribution
Endemic. Antipodes, Auckland Islands, Motu Ihupuku | Campbell and Macquarie Islands
Habitat
Coastal to mid-altitude slopes (approximately 0-200 m.a.s.l.), and bird colonies.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Taxonomic notes
Macquarie Island plants may not be var. antarctica and need critical comparison.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November-January
Fruiting
January-March
Other information
Etymology
acaena: From the Greek ‘akanthos’ thorn, referring to the spiny calyx that many species have
minor: Smaller
antarctica: Antarctic
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.
ACAMVA
Chromosome number
2n = 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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO?
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. pg. 363.
Lloyd K. 2001. A Key and notes for Acaena (Rosaceae) in New Zealand. Botanical Society of Otago Newsletter 25. Pgs. 10-14.
Meurk CD. 1975. Contributions to the flora and plant ecology of Campbell Island. New Zealand journal of botany, 13(4), 721-742. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.1975.10430355
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by MD Ward (November 18th 2025). Description adapted from Lloyd (2001), Meurk (1975), Allan (1961).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.