Azorella pallida
Synonyms
Pozoa pallida Kirk, Schizeilema pallidum (Kirk) Domin
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.
SCHPAL
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 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP
2004 | Sparse
Distribution
Endemic, South Island easterly from Marlborough to Canterbury
Habitat
Montane to subalpine (400-1400 m a.s.l.). In damp sites within forest, shrubland, grassland and herbfield, often along stream sides and lake margins.
Features
Bright green to yellow-green, glabrous, creeping, perennial herb from dense to diffuse patches 0.2-1 m diameter. Stems slender, much branched, usually arching and rooting at nodes. Leaves crowded at nodes and toward branch and stem apices. Petioles up to 50 mm long, slender, somewhat wiry, bright green; stipules deeply laciniate. Leaves up to 20 mm diameter, 3-foliolate or deeply 3-partite, membranous, pale green, bright green to yellow-green, upper surface very glossy undersides less so; leaflets obovate-cuneate, apices with 3-6 rouned to obtuse lobes. Peduncles up to 5 mm long. Umbels 4-12-flowered, simple (rarely with the inflorescence axis bearing up to more or less evenly spaced 4 umbels), sometimes with 2-3 long-pedicelled secondary umbels from base of primary; secondary umbels often umbellulate. Pedicels sometimes replaced by leaf-like bracts or small leaves. Involucral bracts linear to narrow-lanceolate, acute or obtuse. Petals greenish-yellow to cream. Schizocarp tetragonous; mericarps 4-ribbed, 1.8-2.3 mm long, dull brown, dark brown, red-brown or dark purple-brown,ovate, broadly ovate, broadly obovate, elliptic-ovate or elliptic-oblong.
Similar taxa
The bright green, yellow-green to pale-green colouration, obtuse ended involucral bracts, and membranous 3-foliolate to 3-partite leaves distinguish this species from all other indigenous Schizeilema. The schizocarp of Schizeilema is the best quick way to distinguish the genus from the superficially similar Hydrocotyle L. In Schizeilema the mericarps are terete or dorsally compressed while those of Hydrocotyle are laterally strongly compressed and are usually asymmetric with a flattened ventral and a rounded dorsal surface.
Flowering
December - February
Flower colours
Green, Yellow
Fruiting
January - March
Propagation technique
Easily grown from rooted pieces and fresh seed. An attractive bright-green to yellow-green creeping plant for sunny or shaded damp places. Does not tolerate much humidity and should not be allowed to dry out.
Threats
Not threatened. An apparently widespread and at times locally common though mostly sparsely distributed species.
Etymology
pallida: From the Latin pallidus ‘pale or pallid’
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
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): Azorella pallida Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/azorella-pallida/ (Date website was queried)