Gentianella calcis subsp. waipara
Common names
Waipara gentian
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Detailed description
Perennial tufted herb. Petiole distinct. Rosette leaves linear 58-78 mm long, 3.0-6.9 mm wide, green or tinted purple-black, V-shaped in cross-section, recurved, apex rounded; margins minutely serrulate. Cauline leaves linear, smaller than rosette leaves. Flowering stems, green to purple-black, 1-4 per plant. Pedicels 19 mm long, 0.8 mm diam. Flowers 7-25 per plant, c.15 mm long. Calyx 5.6-10 mm long, green or red-brown, sometimes purple-black on margins; lobes 4.5-8.1 mm long, 1.3-1.6 mm wide at base, margins minutely serrulate, apex acute, plane or recurved. Corolla 9.4-14 mm long, veins colourless; tube 2.8-4.0 mm long; lobes 6.6-10 x 4.5-5.4 mm, margins finely serrulate or entire; nectary 1.2-1.4 mm from corolla base, with or without pocket, pocket margins smooth. Filaments 5.4-7.6 mm long from corolla base, 0.4-0.7 mm wide. Anthers 1.6-2.2 mm long. Ovules 11-28 per ovary. Capsules 9.3-11.6 mm long.
Similar taxa
Part of the Gentianella calcis Glenny et Molloy complex. It differs from subsp. manahune by the colourless corolla veins and from the other two subspecies by corolla size (9.4-14 mm long, cf. 13.8-19 mm in subsp. taiko and subsp. calcis). Glenny (2004, N.Z.J.Bot. 42(3), p. 474) provides a range of comparative vegetative and flora characters distinguishing this subspecies from the others. For differences between it and G. astonii subsp. arduana Glenny et Molloy see notes under that taxon entry.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island. North Canterbury near Waipara Gorge, White Rock, Weka Pass, Waipara River, North and South Dean, and at one site at Duntroon, North Otago.
Habitat
A limestone endemic growing on bluffs and ridge lines, in cracks, rock joints, clefts, ledges, talus and rendzina soils. Lowland areas.
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 Critical | Qualifiers: DPT, RR
Threats
Under severe threat from the spread of Pilosella officinarum L. and pasture grasses, habitat loss due to changes in stocking regimes, and through browsing from feral goats. Limestone quarrying is a long-term threat, while the diffuse, typically small populations are very vulnerable to erosion and rock falls. Previously recorded as Gentiana aff. astonii (a) (CHR 529112; Mt Brown) in de Lange et al. (2004).
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
None
Taxonomic notes
The unusual disjunction between North Canterbury and North Otago is matched by morphology and it has been suggested that the Duntroon plant should be regarded as an allied but as yet unnamed entity (B.P.J. Molloy pers. comm.).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
March - May
Fruiting
Unknown
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
Etymology
gentianella: Little Gentiana (named after Gentius, 6th century king of Illyria, who found the roots of the yellow gentian to have a healing effect on his malaria-stricken troops)
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.
GENCSW
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 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, OL
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: OL
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: OL
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
de Lange et al., 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 45-76.
Glenny, D. 2004: A revision of the genus Gentianella in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 361-530.
Attribution
Fact Sheet for NZPCN prepared by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2004). Description modified from Glenny (2004).