Aciphylla dissecta
Family
Apiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons 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.
ACIDIS
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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. 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: DP, RR
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Higher-altitude spiky feathery tufts with clusters of white flowers on a thick stalk
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.
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
Flower colours
White
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.
dissecta: Dissected
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961), Mark and Adams (1005) and Webb and Simpson (2001).
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.