Gaultheria rupestris
Synonyms
Gaultheria subcorymbosa Colenso, Gaultheria rupestris var. subcorymbosa (Colenso) B.L.Burtt et A.W.Hill, Gaultheria glandulosa Colenso
Family
Ericaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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.
GAURUP
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Bushy sprawling shrub bearing oval leathery toothed leaves on hairy twigs inhabiting mountains from the Ruahine south. Hairs on twigs dark. Flowers white, bell-shaped, in occasionally-branched clusters to 8cm long at the tip of twigs. Leaves 20-35mm long by 6-10mm wide. Fruit a dry capsule.
Flower colours
White
Life cycle
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Etymology
gaultheria: Named after Jean François Gaultier of Quebec (6 Oct 1708-10 July 1756) by the Scandinavian Pehr Kalm in 1748.
rupestris: From the Latin rupes ‘rock, cliff’, meaning growing in rocky places
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