Crassula peduncularis
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Inconspicuous, rather delicate, primarily late winter to spring annual herb. Stem decumbent or prostrate fleshy, pinkish white, white to purple, rooting at nodes, usually much branched and ascending. Leaves connate (fused) at base, 1.3–4.5 × 0.3–0.7 mm, fleshy, dark green, yellow-green to pink, linear, linear-lanceolate, flattened above, convex beneath; apex acute or apiculate. Flowers 4-merous, solitary arising from axial or one leaf within a pair, on pedicels.
Similar taxa
Could be confused with the other indigenous Crassula species from which it is best distinguished by the distinctive stalked (pedicellate) seed heads and its strict annual habit. It could be confused with the naturalised South African C. decumbens Thunb., which differs from C. peduncularis by its larger overall, size, multi-branched, upright bushy habit, larger flowers, and near sessile fruiting habit.
Distribution
Indigenous. In New Zealand recorded from North Island, South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura where it is mainly found in the drier eastern areas. North Island, south from the south Taranaki coast and Hawke’s Bay to Wellington. South Island scattered locally from Marlborough to Southland. Stewart Island/Rakiura, known from Masons Bay. Indigenous to Australia and South America
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine. A species of ephemeral wetlands (lake margins, tarns), seasonally damp coastal turfs, and uplifted marine terraces.
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 Critical | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, EF, RR, SO
Threats
Weed invasion of the seasonally damp, summer dry habitats this species requires is the main threat. Currently most of the larger populations are found in sites where browsing animals such as sheep and cattle keep down competing weed species, or in hig-elevation habitats still relatively free of weed species. The species small size, and annual habit, mean that it is easily overlooked, so some of its former habitats have been destroyed in ignorance through coastal development.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Crassulaceae
Synonyms
Tillaea peduncularis Smith, Tillaea purpurata Hook.f., Crassula purpurata (Hook.f.) Domin and others
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Late July–December
Fruiting
August–February
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute folicles are dispersed by wind and water and possiblty also by attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Although easily cultivated from fresh seed this species is difficult to maintain in cultivation. It prefers a damp, sunny situation and is best kept in a small pot partially submerged in water.
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’
peduncularis: Flowers stalked
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.
CRAPED
Chromosome number
2n = 42
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: EF, RR, SO
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: EF, RR, SO
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: SO, EF, RR
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
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.
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, NZ. 1365 p.
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Crassula peduncularis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/crassula-peduncularis/ (Date website was queried)