Aciphylla dissecta
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Simplified description
Higher-altitude spiky feathery tufts with clusters of white flowers on a thick stalk
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
Herb forming stout tufts to 30-40 cm tall in flower. Rosettes usually single. Leaves many, stiff, coriaceous, (2)-3-pinnate, to 30 cm long; sheath narrow, to 3 cm long x 3 mm wide; stipules almost filiforme, c. 10 mm long, sometimes forked, sharply pointed; petioles 10-15 mm long, inter-pinna spacing short; primary pinnae in 8-10 pairs, linear-oblong, c. 2-5 cm long; secondary pinnae further cut into several pungent, ascending pinnules to 25 mm long x 1-1.5 mm wide. Female flowering stem stout, grooved, c. 30 cm long x 1 cm wide; flowering stem bracts leaflike, lower bract sheaths c. 3 cm long x 5 mm wide, with scarious margins, lower bract stipules
Similar taxa
Most similar to A. divisa of southern Westland and western Fiordland, which has less divided leaves and also A. dieffenbachii of the Chatham Islands wich is usually a much larger plant found only on some of the Chatham Islands
Distribution
Endemic. North Island; Tararua Ranges
Habitat
Low alpine snow tussock grass-herbfield. Often hidden amongst tussocks unless flowering (or sat on). 1000-1600 m a.s.l.
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.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- 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: DPS, DPT, RR
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Apiaceae
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Life cycle and dispersal
Winged schizocarps are dispersed primarily by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Other information
Etymology
aciphylla: From the Latin acicula ‘needle’ and the Greek phyllum ‘leaf’, meaning needle-leaf.
dissecta: Dissected
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.
ACIDIS
Chromosome number
2n = 22
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
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;
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.
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961), Mark and Adams (1005) and Webb and Simpson (2001).
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.