Crassula mataikona
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Green, Red/Pink
Detailed description
Short-lived succulent, moss-like, herb forming diffuse clumps. The fleshy trailing stems are white or white tinged pink, and root freely at the nodes. Leaves pale green to pink (in exposed, stressed plants) fused at base, 1.3-3 × 1-1.5 mm, 0.8 mm thick, ovate-elliptic, flattened above, convex beneath; apex rounded or subacute. Flowers solitary in leaf axils, minute, 1.2-1.8 mm diameter, with 4 petals. Petals greenish with pink tips, often obscured by subtending calyx lobes. Mature fruits minute. Seeds black 0.4 mm long.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from C. manaia by its greater size, tendency to form diffuse clumps, with the pale stems obvious between leaf clusters, and by its larger flowers and seeds. Distinguished from C. sieberiana and C. colligata by its smaller, moss-like, decumbent habit, with the stems scarcely erect, trailing or arching over the ground, and by the flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Introduced species C. colorata var. acuminata and C. alata might also be confused with it.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Awakino and South Taranaki Coastline, coastal eastern Wairarapa, Aorangi Range, Cape Palliser, and Wellington coastlines), South (Marlborough Sounds, and parts of the eastern South Island coastline as far south as Dunedin, and also known from several sites in inland central Otago). Also reported as a weed in Christchurch and Dunedin bowling greens.
Habitat
A coastal species of open ground, often amongst Zoysia-dominated turf. It will not tolerate tall vegetation, and requires frequent disturbance to keep the habitats it frequents sparsely-vegetated.
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPR, DPS, DPT
Threats
The habitats it occupies are frequented by introduced weeds. Because it is so small, C. mataikona is easily over-looked, and so has been rarely collected. It is easily confused with seedling C. sieberiana or C. colligata (two species with which it often grows), or even the much smaller C. manaia. As a result of the potential for these misidentifications some C. mataikona populations have gone unrecognised until recently. It is such incidental discoveries as these which suggest C. mataikona might be more common than previously believed.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Tillaea debilis Colenso ex Hook.f.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Flowering has been observed throughout the year.
Fruiting
Fruiting plants may be found throughout the year.
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute follicles are dispersed by wind and water and possiblty also by attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Very easily grown from small rooted pieces or seed. Although plants grow quickly they are prone to being invaded and smothered by other more aggressive weeds, such as Cardamine spp. or Oxalis spp.
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for May 2014 for the full story.
Etymology
crassula: From the Latin crassus ‘thick’, meaning ‘rather thick’
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.
CRAMAT
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Data Deficient
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, EF, NR, NStr, PF, RR, Sp
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Wellington, Government Printer.
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.
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons.Christchurch, New Zealand, Botany Division, D.S.I.R..
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2005). Description adapted from Allan (1961) and Webb et al. (1988), supplemented with observations made from fresh and dried material.
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.