Callitriche muelleri
Common names
Mueller’s starwort
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Detailed description
Short-lived perennial to annual herb forming matted patches. Stems filiform, much-branched, up to 200 mm long when submerged usually much less above water. Leaves on filiform petioles up to 3 mm long; lamina 2-5 x 1-5 mm, bright green, rhomboid to suborbicular, membranous, apex acute, cuneately narrowed to base, margins usually with 1-2 prominent teeth. Flowers in axils, with male and females together or solitary; shortly pedunculate, ebracteate; stamens and styles very hsort. mericarp obovate, laterally compressed, 1.0-1.3 mm long; surfaces dull, reticulate or with a raised central part in each cell, body red-brown, dark red-brown or dark brown or light brown to grey-brown, with a pale orange-yellow to light orange-yellow wing.
Similar taxa
Not easily confused with other indigenous or naturalised species of Callitriche. The rhomboidal toothed leaves in particular readily distinguish this species from the others.
Distribution
Indigenous. In New Zealand known from the Kermadec, Three Kings, North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. Also in Australia.
Habitat
Coastal to montane in damp, muddy ground or in shallow seasonal pools, along lake and stream sides. Often in dense forest.
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.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- 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 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Plantaginaceae
Synonyms
Callitriche macropteryx Hegelm., Callitriche microphylla Colenso
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October - December
Fruiting
November - March
Life cycle and dispersal
Mericarps possibly by water and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from rooted pieces and seed. Can become invasive but makes a pleasant ground cover in shaded, poorly drained soils.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
callitriche: From the Greek kalli ‘beautiful’ and thrix ‘hair’, referring to the beautiful stems
muelleri: Named after Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, 19th century German/Australian botanist and founder of the National Herbarium of Victoria
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.
CALMUE
Chromosome number
2n = 10
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
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 11(4): 285-309.
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): Callitriche muelleri Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/callitriche-muelleri/ (Date website was queried)