Haastia pulvinaris var. minor
Common name
Vegetable sheep
Synonyms
None
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Chromosome number
2n = 60
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 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: RR
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic. South Island: Nelson, Marlborough to Otago (mostly east of the main divide)
Habitat
Subalpine and alpine fellfield and rocks among screes
Features
Stout perennial forming rounded very compact masses up to 1 x 1 m diameter (usually much less); branchlets with leaves < 15 mm diameter, densely compacted. Leaves c.6-8 × 4-9 mm; apices thickened and crenulate and concealed by dense brush of long tangled whitish hairs, both surfaces or underside only clad in long hairs; veins 3-15, anastomosing above. Receptacle flat or slightly convex, c.5 mm diameter. Involucral bracts linear, obtuse to acute, glabrous except at apices. Achenes compressed, linear, c.2 mm long. Pappus-hairs scarcely thickened, up to 9 mm long, strongly barbellate (especially near apices)
Similar taxa
Haastia pulvinaris var. minor is distinguished from var. pulvinaris by its much smaller size (only rarely forming hummocks up to 1 x 1 m), branchlets < 15 mm diameter, and by the distinctly whitish tomentum. Both varieties are occasionally sympatric and may perhaps be better treated as species. Both varieties of Haastia pulvinaris could be confused with species of Raoulia, especially R. bryoides, R. eximia and R. mammillaris with which they sometimes grow.From Raoulia, Haastia is distinguished by the anther-cells which are not tailed, and by the leaves which are > 10 mm long. Recent molecular data suggests that Haastia is very closely allied to Brachyglottis.
Flowering
November - January
Flower colours
Orange, Yellow
Fruiting
December – February
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild
Threats
A naturally uncommon, sparsely distributed plant of high altitude scree habitats. Although it is not threateneed it is rarely common at any particular place.
Etymology
haastia: After Haast
pulvinaris: From the Latin pulvinar ‘a cushion’ and -aris ‘resembling’, meaning resembling a cushio i.e. convex or or rather flattened
minor: Smaller
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961)
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I, Government Printer, Wellington.