Argyrotegium nitidulum
Synonyms
Gnaphalium nitidulum Hook.f., Euchiton nitidulus (Hook.f.) Anderb.
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous 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.
ARGNIT
Chromosome number
2n = 28
Current conservation status
The threat classification 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. 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. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, TO
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, TO
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Indigenous. South Island, Marlborough and near Arthurs Pass. Present in Australia
Habitat
Alpine, favouring open stony ground within tussock grassland, herbfield. Also on scree.
Features
Stoloniferous perennial with much-branched, densely packed stems terminating in leafy rosettes and usually forming compact cushion or ball-like mats, 20-40 mm tall. Leaves mostly in basal rosettes, imbricating, initially erect then reflexing with age, basally scarious to almost glabrous though usually with a few floccose hairs near junction with stem, upper portion clad in appressed, sericeous, glossy brown tomentum; basal leaves slightly narrowed to broad sheathing petiole, densely sericeous on both surfaces including mid-vein but not petiole, keeled toward apex, lamina narrow-oblong to spathulate, obtuse, 5-12 × 2-4 mm; cauline leaves 1-2, narrow. Capitula solitary, subsessile or sessile c.5-8 mm diameter; subtending leaves < capitula; scape terminal, simple, erect, amongst leaves at flowering, elongating only to just above leaves at fruiting. Involucral bracts scarious, narrowly elliptic-oblong, subacute, 6.9-8.0 mm long; stereome yellow-green; lamina very pale brown, sometimes darker at base; gap and margins clear to mid-brown. Achenes 1.0-1.2 mm long, with scattered appressed hairs, becoming glabrous. Pappus of c.30-36 filiform hairs, c.6.0-6.2 mm. long.
Similar taxa
Both Argyrotegium nitidulum and A. mackayi are mat-forming species with solitary terminal flowers. Argyrotegium nitidulum is distinguished from A. mackayi by the leaf hairs which are more or less straight, antrorse, appressed and glossy rather than tangled and white.
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
December - February
Life cycle
Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
While not actively threatened this is a very uncommon plant in New Zealand. To ensure its long term security it is important that all populations are routinely monitored. Some populations are especially vulnerable to plant collectors and to a lesser extent the spread of weeds.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
References and further reading
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
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Argyrotegium nitidulum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/argyrotegium-nitidulum/ (Date website was queried)