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  4. Aciphylla squarrosa var. squarrosa

Aciphylla squarrosa var. squarrosa

Cape Turakirae.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Baring Head, Wellington Harbour.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Female inflorescence. In cultivation.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 20/11/2004, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Female inflorescence. In cultivation.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 20/11/2004, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Male inflorescence. In cultivation.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 20/11/2004, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Baring Head.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Baring Head.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Owhiro Bay, Wellington.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Owhiro Bay, Wellington.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Owhiro Bay, Wellington.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Whitireia Park, Porirua.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 13/11/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common names

speargrass

Biostatus

Native – Endemic taxon

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites

Flower colours

Green, Yellow

Detailed description

Usually, large plants up to 1 m tall, forming dense tussocks. Leaves numerous, 3-pinnate, spreading, subglaucous; margins and midribs crenulate-serrulate; occasionally plants may have some leaves 2-pinnate. Sheaths erect, whitish, fleshy except membranous margins, up to 150 × 50 mm; stipules with petiolate bases approximately 20 × 10 mm, unequal, 3-foliolate, outer segments up to 200 mm, inner to 60 mm, terminal to 250 mm long, pungent; petiolar or ligular portion sometimes up to about 40 mm long. Petioles up to about 150 mm × 1–2 mm, internodes up to 50 mm long. Primary pinnae usually 1 pair, again pinnate, internodes about 30 mm long; secondary pinnae usually 1 pair, again pinnate, sometimes bearing accessory pinnules; final segments up to 250 mm × 4 mm, concavo-convex, with long pungent points. Flowering stems of male plants ridged; up to approximately 80 cm × 20 mm including inflorescence up to approximately 40 cm long. Bracts numerous; sheaths pale, membranous, ridged, up to 40 × 10 mm, tapering to apex; stipules unequal, up to 30 × 1 mm. Lamina 3-foliolate; lateral pair of leaflets up to approximately 90 mm long; terminal leaflet to 200–250 × 3 mm, stiff, pungent, becoming strongly reflexed. Umbels on stout peduncles up to approximately 60–100 mm long, usually with lateral umbellules near base as well as at apex, up to about 40 mm diameter. Umbellules crowded, forming heads approximately 20 mm diameter; rays numerous, about 10 mm long. Flowering stems of female plants up to 100 cm tall including inflorescence up to approximately 60 cm tall. Bract-sheaths thin, ribbed; lower approximately 50 × 20 mm, stipules unequal, 40–80–(150) mm long. Lamina of lower sheaths pinnate, with occasionally accessory pinnules; petiole flat, about 10 mm long, internodes up to 20 mm long; pinnae 2 pairs; terminal leaflet up to 150 mm long, at length strongly reflexed. Umbels approximately 8, on stout peduncles approximately 50 mm long bearing lateral umbellules near base; involucral bracts linear. Umbellules up to 10, approximately 15 mm diameter, on short rays. Petals pale yellow. Fruit approximately 6–8 mm long; mericarps 3–4 winged.

Similar taxa

Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida, is distinguished from this species by not having appressed bract segments and having narrower flexible leaf segments (Dawson & LeComte, 1978).

Aciphylla glaucescens, when juvenile may be mistaken for this species; in general A. glaucescens is a larger species when mature up to 1.5 metres. In A. squarrosa the flowering stem bracts, are strongly reflexed, where in A. glaucescens they are not reflexed.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Mount Hikurangi south), South Island (to the Kaikoura Ranges).

Habitat

Coastal to montane.

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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Apiaceae

Authority

Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. et G.Forst var. squarrosa

Taxonomic notes

Dawson & LeComte suggest this species is part of the group with clear juice. The A. squarrosa group is currently (2022) being revised so further information be revealed in the near future.

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Flowering

October–December

Fruiting

November–March

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.

squarrosa: Rough, with scale-like projections; from the Latin squarrosus; leaves and leaf stalks

Chromosome number

2n = 22

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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DP, PD

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Jump to current conservation status

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.

Dawson JW, LeComte JR. 1978. Research on Aciphylla - a progress report. Tuatara 23: 49–67.

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.

Attribution

Description adapted by M. Ward from 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.

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