Epilobium vernicosum
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Stout herb with woody base. Branches up to 20 cm long, reddish-green, numerous, decumbent at base, then ascending, erect at tips. Leaves (6-)15(-20) × (3-)8-10) mm, narrow-oblong to ovate-oblong, margins obscurely toothed, very glossy, dark green, often reddish. Flowers pink 12-20 mm diameter, with the broad petals deeply lobed. Capsules hairless, 15-25 mm long. Seeds brown 0.8-1.4 mm.
Similar taxa
This species is closely allied to E. glabellum - with which it was placed by Raven & Raven (1976). It differs from that species and those allied to it by its ecological preference for base-rich rocks (e.g., limestone, marble), it decumbent habit, very glossy leaves, and much larger, pale pink, deeply lobed flowers.
Distribution
Endemic to the western side of the South Island of New Zealand where it is known only from North West Nelson to South Westland.
Habitat
Montane to subalpine screes and rock outcrops.
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: RR
Threats
Always considered uncommon (Allan 1961). Although it would seem unlikely to be seriously threatened the exact status of this species throughout its range is uncertain, a situation exacerbated because it is treated by Raven & Raven (1976) and Webb et al. (1988: Flora 4) as part of the range of variation exhibited by the very common E. glabellum. This has meant that most recent field surveys have not specifically recognised it.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Included by Raven & Raven (1976) within a broad circumscription of Epilobium glabellum G.Forst.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
December - February
Fruiting
January - April
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute pappate seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from seed and rooted pieces of stem.
Other information
Etymology
epilobium: From the Greek epi- ‘upon’ and lobos ‘a pod’, the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
vernicosum: Polished
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.
EPIVER
Chromosome number
2n = 36
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: RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Data Deficient
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
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
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): Epilobium vernicosum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/epilobium-vernicosum/ (Date website was queried)