Crassula multicaulis
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Annual to short-lived perennial forming dark red, pink or green, moss-like mats; stems initially decumbent, soon ascending, rooting at nodes, much-branched from base, branches reaching up to 60 mm tall. Leaves fused at base, 1-3 x 0.6-0.7 mm, 0.3-0.4 mm thick, triangular-lanceolate, flattened above, strongly convex and keeled below; apex very acute, usually conspicuously apiculate. Flowers soliary in upper leaf axils, fragrant, stellate, 4-merous, 3.5-5 mm diam.; pedicels 2(-5) mm long, elongating at fruiting. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.8 x 0.5-0.6 mm, triangular, acute, usually apiculate. Petals 1.6-1.8 x 1.3 mm, broadly elliptic-ovate, white or pink, or pink-flushed, apex rounded, much > calyx. Scales 0.7 mm long, oblanceolate. Follicles smooth. Seed 0.5 mm long.
Similar taxa
Crassula multicaulis is very distinctive, the combination of an almost annual habit, preference for ephemeral wetlands in seasonally dry habits, usually dark red colouration, keeled, apiculate leaves, and large, often pedicellate flowers with elliptic-ovate rounded petals mark it out from all other indigenous Crassula.
Distribution
Endemic. In the North Island known only from one old record from Cape Palliser. In the South Island scarce in North West Nelson, southern Marlborough and Canterbury, North and Central Otago.
Habitat
Coastal, lowland to alpine (0–1800 m a.s.l.) in open, seasonally damp ground, such as clay or salt plans or around tarn margins. It has also been collected from braided river beds.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: Sp, EF, RR
Threats
Field work by M. Thorsen (pers. comm.) suggests that this species is seriously threatened. Its preferred habitats are now largerly drained or taken over by exotic weeds, and his fieldwork could only locate 2 small populations at a moderately high elevation where these agents of decline were less frequent (but still present). It has not been seen in the North Island since the 1950s, and is scarce north of Otago, with one site known in the 1000 Acre Plateau area of NW Nelson.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Crassulaceae
Synonyms
Tillaea multicaulis Petrie
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - April
Fruiting
November - May
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute follicles are dispersed by wind and water and possiblty also by attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from rooted pieces, fresh seed and stem cuttings. An attractrive plant with pleasantly scented flowers. In cultivation it normally forms a large, but short-lived mound. This species needs regular rejuvenation from fresh cuttings or rooted pieces to maintain the plant.
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
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.
CRAMUL
Chromosome number
2n = 56
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: EF, PD, RR, Sp
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: EF, RR, Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: EF, DP
2004 | Sparse
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Wellington, Government Printer.
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Norton, D.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2010: Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Christchurch, Canterbury University Press. 471pp
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), Webb et al. (1988) and de Lange et al. (2010).
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Crassula multicaulis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/crassula-multicaulis/ (Date website was queried)