Geranium cruentum
Biostatus
Native
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 | Data Deficient
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Detailed description
For a full description of this species see Heenan & Rogers (2021).
Distribution
South Island: Southland. Known from a single collection that was unknowingly made in the Von River valley, Southland.
Repeated surveys of the area of the original collection at Von River valley have not located any additional wild plants, but other nearby areas should perhaps be searched (e.g. Livingstone Mountains).
Habitat
The habitat is not known with certainty, but it may occur in the wetlands associated with the three lakes and kettleholes at the site of the original collection.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Previously known as Geranium sp. “Von”.
Endemic taxon
Indeterminate
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Other information
Extra information
During the period 26 February to 8 March 1993, A.P. Druce led a collecting trip to Southland where a team of botanists visited the Mavora Lakes, Von River valley, West Dome and Thomson Mountains. Field trips on 1, 3 and 5 March were made to three lakes and associated kettleholes and wetlands in the Von River valley. In regard to the visit to the three lakes, H. Druce wrote that “Tony spent a lot of time there and was using his pocket-knife to cut out plants for study & growing. Back at Pinehaven, Tony was attending to his plants shaking off the soil for the ones to be pressed, when he noticed a small piece of white root, unconnected. He potted it up & some time later up came Geranium ‘Von’”.
In February 2017 Geoff Rogers, Jesse Bythell and Brian Rance returned to the North Von Valley and spent 3 days searching a range of habitats for the elusive Geranium sp. ‘Von’ to no avail.
Etymology
geranium: From the Greek geranos ‘crane’, the fruit of the plant resembling the head and beak of this bird, hence the common name cranesbill.
cruentum: Adjective derived from the Latin cruor ‘blood’, refers to the red blotches or ‘blood spattered’ appearance.
Chromosome number
Chromosome number: n = 26II, 2n = 52 (AK 315844/CHR 554036).
Previous 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.
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, EW
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Data Deficient | Qualifiers: CD, De, EW
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
Heenan PB, Rogers GM. 2021. Recognition of Geranium cruentum sp. nov. (Geraniaceae) resolves a taxonomic conundrum in New Zealand cranesbills. New Zealand Journal of Botany 59(3): 397–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2020.1867199
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (14 December 2022).