Chaerophyllum basicola
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Cream
Detailed description
Short-lived perennial herb arising from slender tap root. Leaves radical, spreading, up to 110 mm long, grey-green to blue-grey; 1(-2) pinnate with 5-8 pairs of primary pinnae. Upper leaf surface glabrous, undersides glabrous to moderately hairy, pinnae linear, entire 2-15 x 0.6-1.6 mm, decreasing in size toward distal end. Peduncles 1-10, slender, 0.7-2.0 mm diam., decumbent, spreading or ascending, sometimes branched, up to 10 mm long, covered in sparse retrorse hairs. Involucre of 4-7 linear bracts; bracts 1.8-2.8 x 0.6-1.5 mm, green, entire, margins ciliate. Pedicels initially 0.4-0.9 mm long, up to 22 mm long in fruit; flowers 7-17, 2.0-3.2 mm diam. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals 4-5, 0.6-1.2 x 0.7-0.9 mm, ovate, obovate to broadly elliptic, cream. Ovary 2.2-2.3 mm long, concial, styles 0.2-0.3 mm long slender. Filaments 0.3-0.4 mm, white; anthers 0.2-0.3 mm long, faintly rose tinted. Mericarps 4.2-4.9 x 1.2-1.6 mm, oblong, glabrous, matt, olive green. Ribs 5, prominent.
Similar taxa
Oreomyrrhis basicola is part of the O. rigida (Kirk) Allan complex from which it is best distinguished by the grey-green to blue-green leaves with fewer primary pinnae, which are only occasionally divided into secondary pinnae.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island where it is known from three sites: northern Otago, at Awahokomo (upper Waitaki Valley), and from Southland at West Dome (southern Eyre Range) and Bald Hill in the Livingstone mountains.
Habitat
Known only from limestone and ultramafic rock outcrops. On limestone it is a species of sparsely vegetated habitats, including limestone pavement, fissures, talus slopes and eroding exposures of rendzina soil. Within ultramafic habitats it occupies similar situations, such as on gravel pavements and screes.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DPT, RR
Threats
It is estimated that there are <1000 plants of O. basicola scattered over three populations. Although the plants produce copious quantities of seed, and seedlings are commonly seen, adult plants tend of die after flowering. Of the three populations, Awahokomo is the most seriously threatened through displacement by introduced weeds. At the other two ultramafic habitats weeds are less of an issue, however, the populations at both sites are considered very small.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Oreomyrrhis basicola Heenan et Molloy
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
January- March
Life cycle and dispersal
Hairy mericarps are dispersed by wind and possibly attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
Etymology
chaerophyllum: From the Greek chairo ‘to please’ and phyllon ‘leaf’
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 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DP, RR, St
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, RR, St
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, RR, St
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Norton, D.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2010: Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.
Heenan, P.B.; Molloy, B.P.J. 2006: A new species of Oreomyrrhis (Apiaceae) from southern South Island, New Zealand, and comparison of its limestone and ultramafic habitats. New Zealand Journal of Botany 44(1): 99-106.
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: 285-309
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2009). Description based on Heenan & Molloy (2006 - as Oreomyrrhis basicola) - see also de Lange et al (2010).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Chaerophyllum basicola Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/chaerophyllum-basicola/ (Date website was queried)