Aciphylla crenulata
Family
Apiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites
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.
ACICRE
Chromosome number
2n = 22
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). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By 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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Herb with sparse spiky leaves which have a thickened notched margin. Inconspicuous unless flowering
Distribution
Endemic. South Island, close to and west of Main divide
Habitat
Higher rainfall snow tussock-herbfield. 900 - 1700 m a.s.l.
Features
Slender herb forming lax tufts to 60 cm tall in flower. Rosettes single or several. Leaves few, flexible, rather flaccid, 1-pinnate, to 15 cm long x 5 mm wide; sheath broad, thin; stipules slender, spinulose; primary pinnae in (1-)2-3(-4) pairs, laminae of pinna widely spaced, linear, 5-15 cm long x 2-5 mm wide, midrib often bright red, margins thickened and finely crenulate, tapering to pungent point. Male flowering stem slender, inflorescence elongate, dense-flowered, 10-30(-40) cm long; bracts many, spreading; bract sheathsshort, mebranous; bract stipules short, pungent; bract lamina slender, to 4 cm long. Umbels and umbellules on long slender rays. Female flowering stem denser, forming an inflorescence to 60 cm long; lower bracts often empty; peduncles and rays long, slender. Fruit of two mericarps; mericarps narrowly oblong-elliptic to elliptic, (6.0-)6.5-9.0 mm, with 3-4 even narrowly winged ribs, other ribs not evident, vittae evident as narrow dark ribs between wings
Similar taxa
Most similar in appearance to A. lyallii which is larger and whose leaves are variably either simple or with up to 7 leaflets or A. indurata which is only known from NW Nelson and which is also a larger plant and with 2-pinnate leaves
Flowering
December-January
Fruiting
February-March
Life cycle
Winged schizocarps are dispersed primarily by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Etymology
aciphylla: From the Latin acicula ‘needle’ and the Greek phyllum ‘leaf’, meaning needle-leaf.
crenulata: From the Latin crenus ‘notch’, meaning with notches which give a leaf margin the appearance of having small rounded teeth
Where To Buy
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961), Mark and Adams (1995), Webb and Simpson (2001) and Wilson (1996).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington
Mark, A.F; Adams, N.M. 1995. New Zealand alpine plants, 2nd Edition. Godwit Publishing, Auckland
Wilson, H.D. 1996. Wild plants of Mt Cook National Park. Manuka Press, Christchurch
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 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309
Webb, C.J. & Simpson, M.J.A. 2001. Seeds of NZ gymnosperms and dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch