Alseuosmia banksii var. linariifolia
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Shrub of Northland forests. Leaves vary, much longer than wide, green, margin smooth. Flower white, tubular, dropping, inconspicuous. Fruit fleshy, red.
Flower colours
Green, Yellow
Detailed description
Bushy slender shrub up to c. 1 m tall; branchlets slender, spreading, red-brown, pubescent. Leaves on petioles up to 10 mm long, slender, flattened, pubescent. Lamina submembranous, narrow-linear to linear, 5.0–30.0 × 2.5–7.0 mm; yellow-green to dark green, often more or less red-flushed, rarely flecked, apex acute, base attenuate to cuneately narrowed. Margins entire to subentire—and then with only a few faint teeth toward apex. Flowers 10–15 mm long, mostly solitary, rarely in fascicles of 2–3 together. Calyx pubescent; lobes 4 deeply cut to ½-way, bluntly triangular, pubescent. Corolla tube 8–10 mm long; very slightly flaring, greenish yellow or yellow with red-tinges or completely pink; lobes 3.0–3.5 mm, fimbriate, flaring widely at anthesis. Berry 5–9 × 4–7 mm subglobose to subturbinate, fleshy, red, puberulent.
Similar taxa
Not very well known. The type corresponds to an erect, heavily branched shrub with very small, linear leaves (up to 30 × 2.5-3.0 mm), and small creamy yellow flowers (up to 15 mm long). In Northland there is a distinctive Alseuosmia that is usually unbranched and has long, narrow linear leaves (up to 100 × 5–8 mm). The flowers are much longer (up to 15 mm long), and varying in colour from pink through yellow to crimson. This form many people have come to regard as A. banksii var. linariifolia. This is not so, it does not match the type with respect to its growth habit, leaf size or flowers. Preliminary genomic in situ hybridisations (P. J. de Lange & P. M. Datson unpubl. data) suggest that it warrants recognition as a separate species. Gardner (1977) treated it as a form of A. quercifolia A.Cunn., a species he regarded as a hybrid complex (A. ×quercifolia A.Cunn.).
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (local from Kaitaia to about Kaiwaka).
Habitat
Coastal to lowland. Often in alluvial forest, and/or mixed hardwood forest. Often associated with kauri (Agathis australis (D.Don) Lindl.).
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 | Data Deficient
Threats
Uncertain. This plant is not very well known, and due to confusion over its exact identity, most records actually refer to an apparently unnamed species instead. Further survey to ascertain its exact status is urgently needed as current indications are that this plant is extremely uncommon with most records coming from roadside scrub and unprotected forest remnants.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Alseuosmia linariifolia
Taxonomic notes
Description based on the type and other herbarium specimens as well as fresh specimens.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–December
Fruiting
November–February
Propagation technique
Can be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings though these strike with varying degrees of success. Seed is often hard to germinate. Does best in semi-shade in a sheltered site. Difficult to grow.
Other information
Etymology
alseuosmia: Perfume grove
banksii: Named after Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (24 February 1743 - 19 June 1820) was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences.
linariifolia: Linear leaf
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.
ALSBVL
Chromosome number
2n = 18
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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2009 | Data Deficient
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Alseuosmia banksii var. linariifolia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/alseuosmia-banksii-var-linariifolia/ (Date website was queried)