Daucus glochidiatus
Common names
New Zealand carrot
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Erect, usually hispid, yellow-green to dark reddish green, biennial up to 300–800 mm high (annual in harsh conditions), mostly sparingly branched. Stems and branches glabrescent, deeply ribbed or finely striate. Basal leaves flaccid, withering at fruiting, glabrous or sparsely covered in stiff hairs, 2–3-pinnate; petioles 10–150 mm long, expanding toward a ± amplexicaul base, ± glabrous or sparsely covered in stiff hairs (sometimes densely so); primary leaflets in 2–8 pairs, petiolules 4–6 mm long; ultimate segments pinnatisect to pinnatifid, ovate, linear-oblong, linear-spathulate, apices mucronulate. Stem leaves similar but reduced. Umbels axillary and terminal, irregularly compound or simple in stressed specimens, on slender or stout hispid peducles up to 170 mm long. Rays 1–11, unequal, primarly up to 160 mm long, secondary up to 15 mm long; bracts (0)–2–5, linear, entire or deeply incised, sometimes pinnatisect, caducous; bracteoles 0–5, simple, linear. Flowers 1–10, c. 1 mm diameter, petals white, dirty white or tinged red, withering early and shedding. Fruit ellipsoid, dark brown to red-brown (rarely pale brown), 3–5 mm long; primary ribs sparsely to moderately ciliate; secondary ribs glochidiate, glochidia ± 1 mm long, apices capped.
Similar taxa
Reduced, stressed plants of wild carrot (Daucus carota) are frequently confused with native carrot. Wild carrot differs from native carrot by its usually taller stature (up to 1.3 m tall), by the regular umbels that are concave at fruiting, and by the more numerous rays. Species of the naturalised genus Torilis (hedge parsley) are also frequently confused with native carrot. Torilis is separated from Daucus by the floral bracts which are either absent or simple, mostly subsessile umbels bearing 2–5 rays, or pedunculate umbels with 2–12 more or less unequal rays. In comparison to wild carrot, Torilis plants are usually much taller (up to 2 m tall) and rather leafier, with the leaves much larger and less divided.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island, South Island, Chatham Islands. Also Australia, Tasmania.
Habitat
Coastal, lowland to montane on cliff faces, rock outcrops, talus slopes, in short tussockland or grassland and in open forest.
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 Vulnerable | Qualifiers: Sp, DPR, DPT, EF, SO
Threats
This species appears to have undergone a rapid decline over the last 30 years and is now extinct over large parts of its former range. The reason for this decline is not clear though it is likely that competition from faster growing, taller weeds, particularly rat’s tail grass (Sporobolus africanus) is a key factor. Rat’s tail now dominates most of the northern North Island habitats that used to support native carrot.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Scandix glochidiata Labill., Daucus brachiatus Sieb. in DC.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–February
Fruiting
November–June
Life cycle and dispersal
Spiny mericarps are dispersed by attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009)
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed. Resents root disturbance so should be sown where it is wanted. Does best in a free-draining, open situation. Treat as an annual.
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for May 2024 for the full story.
Etymology
daucus: An ancient Greek name
glochidiatus: Barbed
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.
DAUGLO
Chromosome number
2n = 44
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 – Declining | Qualifiers: EF, SO
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: EF, SO
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: SO, DP
2004 | Serious Decline
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, EF, PF, RR, SO, Sp
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Critical | Qualifiers: OL
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
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
Description based on herbarium specimens.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Daucus glochidiatus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/daucus-glochidiatus/ (Date website was queried)