Geniostoma ligustrifolium var. crassum
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Shrub bearing pale green thick leaves that are silvery pale underneath inhabiting the northern tip of the North Island. Leaves rounded or pointed, more or less fleshy. Flowers small, green, slightly hairy, in clusters at base of leaf. Fruit a dry capsule splitting in two to show small orange seeds.
Flower colours
Green
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: OL
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Geniostoma rupestre var. ligustrifolium (A.Cunn.) B.J.Conn
Taxonomic notes
Geniostoma ligustrifolium var. crassum is a distinct ultramafic endemic with a lianoid trailing habit. It has proved virtually impossible to maintain in cultivation without regular applications of serpentinite. On the Surville Cliffs it is occasionally sympatric with G. ligustrifolium var. ligustrifolium, an upright shrub or small tree that dislikes ultramafic soils. The opinion of Murray & de Lange (1999) is here followed in treating both taxa as distinct and further suggesting that var. crassum warrants species rank (see Geniostoma ligustrfiolium var. ligustrifolium).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Other information
Etymology
geniostoma: The tribe with pitted seed
ligustrifolium: From the genus Ligustrum privet and the Greek word phylum ‘leaf’, meaning privet-leaved
crassum: Thick
Chromosome number
2n = 40
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: OL
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, ST, OL
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Murray, B.G.; de Lange, P. J. 1999: Contributions to a chromosome atlas of the New Zealand flora - 35. Miscellaneous families. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37: 511-521.