Geranium cruentum
Synonyms
Previously known as Geranium sp. “Von”.
Family
Geraniaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Indeterminate
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Chromosome number
Chromosome number: n = 26II, 2n = 52 (AK 315844/CHR 554036).
Interim 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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2021 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Interim | Heenan & Rogers (2021)
Previous conservation status
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, EW
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 description
For a full description of this species see Heenan & Rogers (2021).
Similar taxa
Similar growth habit to G. brevicaule and G. socolateum but distinct from all New Zealand Geranium by the distinctive leave shape and colour; the dark green with prominent, irregularly-shaped, reddish-purple brown, blood-like blotches in each sinus of the primary and secondary lobes, such blotches are unique to G. cruentum among New Zealand indigenous Geranium. Another feature is the leaf hairs of G. cruentum, which have a distinct bulbous base raised above the leaf surface. The leaf hair bases in G. brevicaule and G. socolateum are not bulbous and not raised prominently above the leaf surface.
Putative natural hybrids have been found between in the wild of G. brevicaule and G. cruentum (CHR 589937).
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.
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, though many other magnificent plants were found.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (14 December 2022). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa sections copied from Heenan & Rogers (2021).
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