Colobanthus brevisepalus
Common names
pin cushion
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Simplified description
Cushion plant up to 8 cm across, many short stiff tightly packed branches closely covered with leaves. Leaves incurved towards stem, densely overlapping, rounded on back, 2–3 mm long; long needle-like tips, no mid-rib evident. Flower stalks short. Flowers 3 mm long, with 5 sepals, broader than leaves, with thickened midrib, ending in short needle-like tip.
Flower colours
Green
Similar taxa
Colobanthus canaliculatus, C. buchananii. C. brevisepalus has overlapping, shorter leaves than C. canaliculatus with its spreading, longer leaves. C. buchananii has sepals longer than petals.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (east of main divide from Marlborough southwards).
Habitat
On dry mountains, especially on limestone (and associated rendzina soils) schist outcrops, rocks, sandy banks and slopes.
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: Sp, DPS, DPT
Threats
Colobanthus brevisepalus is probably not seriously threatened. However in parts of its range it has been replaced by aggressive introduced weeds. Furthermore it is not often collected, suggesting that it has either declined or is being overlooked by modern plant collectors.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
No information available
Fruiting
No information available
Life cycle and dispersal
Winged seeds are dispersed by water and possibly also wind and ballistic projection (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Small divisions can be grown but the species is tricky, and does best in pots within an alpine house.
Other information
Etymology
colobanthus: Mutilated flower wth no petals
brevisepalus: Short sepal
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.
COLBRE
Chromosome number
2n = c.80-82
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: PD, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Data Deficient
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
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): Colobanthus brevisepalus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/colobanthus-brevisepalus/ (Date website was queried)