Acaena profundeincisa
Common names
bidibid, piripiri
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
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 | Not Threatened
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Simplified description
An evergreen sometimes very hairy green to grey green herb, which spreads up to a 1 metre across and about 10 cm in height. The odd-pinnate leaves are deeply toothed, with red margins. The globe shaped flower balls are reddish 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.
Flower colours
White, Red/Pink
Detailed description
Stoloniferous, prostrate, trailing perennial herb, forming a loose mat up to 1 metre in diameter. Stems less than 1.5 mm diameter, hairy, green or brown, up to 30 cm long, and/or 10 cm high; Stipules occasionally entire, generally trifid to pentafid, red; Leaves odd-pinnate, between 15-90 mm long with 7-13 leaflets; Leaflets elliptical, deeply serrated toothed margin, 5-11 teeth per leaflet are hair-tipped, lower leaflets much smaller, green to grey-green with red margins lower leaflets completely red, upper surface slightly keeled almost hairless to very hairy, lower surface very hairy; Inflorescence scape wiry, 80-120 mm, very hairy; Capitulum of 40-50 florets, each floret has 4 sepals, 2 stamen, red anthers, 1 style white or rose coloured, 1 achene; Fruit roughly cone-shaped, very hairy, each having 4 barb-tipped spines, about 5 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
Acaena caesiiglauca is similar but more glaucous in colour and has less pronounced teeth on the leaflets. The flower globe has white anthers, therefore, white in appearance.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, South Island. Raukumara Range Southwards.
Habitat
Montane to alpine (900-1900 m.a.s.l.), grassland and shrubland.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
December- February.
Fruiting
January-March.
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)
Other information
Etymology
acaena: From the Greek ‘akanthos’ thorn, referring to the spiny calyx that many species have
profundeincisa: Profoundly incised or deeply cut
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.
ACAPRO
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 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened
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 “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Lloyd K. 2001. A Key and notes for Acaena (Rosaceae) in New Zealand. Botanical Society of Otago Newsletter 25. pg.10-14.
Mark AF. 2012. Above the Treeline: A Nature Guide to Alpine New Zealand. Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson. pg.114.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, NZ. Pg. 1063.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by MD Ward (August 29th 2025). Description adapted from Mark (2012), Lloyd (2001), Webb et. al. (1988).
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.