Astelia nervosa
Common name
mountain astelia
Synonyms
Astelia nervosa var. montana Kirk ex Cheeseman; Astelia montana (Kirk) Ckn.; Astelia cockaynei Cheeseman
Family
Asteliaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
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.
ASTNER
Chromosome number
2n = 210
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). 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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
A. nervosa may be confined to the South and Stewart Islands; North Island plants have greener leaves with a brownish/bronze indumentum on the abaxial (lower) surfaces and these may constitute an unnamed taxon.
Features
Undersides of leaves often showing zigzag ‘tracks’ caused by feeding of the larvae of the ‘astelia zigzag moth’ (http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Autumn13_03.pdf)
Flower colours
Brown, Red/Pink
Life cycle
Fleshy berries are dispersed by frugivory (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Etymology
astelia: Stemless
nervosa: With conspicuous veins
Attribution
http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Autumn13_03.pdf
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
http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Autumn13_03.pdf (for life history of astelia zigzag moth)