Gratiola sexdentata
Common name
Gratiola
Synonyms
Gratiola glandulifera Colenso
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
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.
GRASEX
Chromosome number
2n = 90
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
Distribution
Endemic. Widespread throughout the North and South Islands, can be locally common but often absent from large parts of the country
Habitat
Lake, pond, tarn and river margins where it grows in marginal turf communities or on recently exposed mud or silt. Also present in wetlands where it grows along slow flowing streams, in pools of water or amongst sedges and reeds (but only in open sites it dislikes heavy shade). Occasionally collected from muddy pools within alluvial forest.
Features
Terrestrial to semi-aquatic glabrous to finely viscid-pubescent, erect to widely spreading perennial herb forming patches up to 300 x 300 mm. Stems mostly erect, stout, sparingly to heavily though laxly branched from base, dark purple or maroon often with dark spots or green with purple spots (rarely completely green). Leaves sessile to subsessile, opposite, 6-30 x 4-16 mm; dark green above with purple stitch marks along lamina (rarely bright green without stitch marks), undersides paler, often purple spotted; lamina ovate to lanceolate or suboblong, very rarely linear-lanceolate, margins entire, subentire or with distant fine, triangular-teeth. Flowers axillary on slender peduncles up to 10 mm long. Calyx-lobes 4-6 mm long, darkly purple-green, often with darker spots, or bright green; narrow-lanceolate, more or less attenuate, obtuse, to narrow ovate-lanceolate. Corolla 10-16 mm long, with corolla tube 8-14 mm long and corolla lips < tube; externally white often with a yellowish base, internally with a yellow throat, usually with 4-8 fine purple lines extending from lips to corolla base; rarely corolla completely white. Anthers connivent, cells parallel, transverse; staminodes filiform. Capsule c.5 mm long; dark purple-green with dark spotting or bright green, drying greyish; more or less ovoid-globose, initially fleshy, maturing chartaceous. Seeds numerous.
Similar taxa
Has been much confused with the South American G. peruviana and Australian G. latifolia but it does not seem to be close to either of these species, differing consistently by its smaller, ovate-lanceolate leaves with purple stitch marks along the margins, dark purple spotted glabrous to hairy stems, and longer, larger flowers. However, further study is needed. From the other New Zealand species it could perhaps be confused with G. pubescens but that species has all its vegetative parts covered in fine viscid hair. G. pedunculata is similar but has smaller pedicellate flowers, glandular sticky indumentum, no purple stitch marks on the leaves, and much smaller flowers. Small forms of G. concinna have also been confused with it.
Flowering
Year round
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Fruiting
Year round
Life cycle
Mucilaginous seeds are dispersed by water and possibly wind and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed, rooted pieces or stem cuttings. Needs to grow in water.
Etymology
gratiola: Little beauty
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Taxonomic notes
Gratiola sexdentata - as currently circumscribed remains a highly variable species and this variation warrants further study.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 4 May 2006. Description by P.J. de Lange
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
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Gratiola sexdentata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/gratiola-sexdentata/ (Date website was queried)