Helichrysum simpsonii subsp. simpsonii
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Low growing masses of green and white stems inhabiting rocky or open areas of South Island mountains. Branches often hanging down or trailing over rock outcrops. Stems 2-3 mm wide. Leaves scale-like, variable in shape, green, embedded in whiteish fuzz. Flowers white-yellowish, in tight clusters at the tip of stems.
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Distribution
South Island: NW Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland
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.
2017 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson, Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson var. intermedium, Helichrysum intermedium var. humile G.Simpson
Taxonomic notes
Helichrysum simpsonii Kottaim. is a replacement name (nomen novum) for H. intermedium G.Simpson. Helichrysum intermedium Simpson is an illegitimate name because it is a later homonym of H. intermedium Lessing (1832: 295), a species which was described from Cape of Good Hope of Africa. For this reason Kottaimuthu (2023) published H. simpsonii as a new name for the New Zealand plant.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Other information
Etymology
helichrysum: From the Greek words helios ‘sun’ and chrysos ‘gold’, referring to the colour of the flowers of some species
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.
HELINT
Chromosome number
2n = 28
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.
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
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 “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: TL
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Kottaimuthu, R. 2023: Helichrysum simpsonii, a replacement name for Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson (Asteraceae). Phytotaxa 597(2): 193-194. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.597.2.9