Leptinella intermedia
Synonyms
Cotula intermedia D.G.Lloyd
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous 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.
LPTINT
Chromosome number
2n = 156
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) – 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.
2017 | Data Deficient
Previous conservation statuses
2015 | Data Deficient
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Data Deficient
Distribution
Endemic. South Island vicinity of Hakataramea Pass
Habitat
Alpine (> c.1600 m a.s.l.) in wet flushes within herbfield and tussock grassland.
Detailed description
Monoecious creeping, perennial herb forming small tufted patches in herb field turf. Rhizomes shallowly buried, initially dark, pliant, sparsely pilose hairy, becoming pale, stiff and glabrous; branches uncommon, usually single at flowering nodes; leaves spirally arranged, 1-2 at the apex, 5-10 mm part. Short shoots ascending from rhizome, bearing up to 5 tufted leaves at the apex. Roots slender, weak up to 0.6 mm diameter. Leaves 1-pinnatifid, 8-40 x 2-12 mm; blade 4-30 mm long. elliptic, coriaceous, light green, sometimes with brown pigmentation on proximal pinnae, glabrous; midrib somtimes raised on ventral surface; pinna 4-10 pairs, not overlapping, cut to rhachis, elliptic; teeth usually few perpinna, up to 5 on distal margins and 3 on proximal, cut to 1/2 across pinna, triangular, obtuse. Peduncles glabrescent, villous, borne on rhizomes, more or less equal in length to leaves, 30 mm, ebracteate or bearing 1 simple bract. Capitula 4-5 mm diameter; surface convex; involucre hemispherical, involucral bracts 12, subequally 1-2-seriate, broadly elliptic, dark green, somewhat villous, with wide, brown scarious margins; pistillate florets up to 10 in an incomplete row, 2 mm long, almost straight, yellow-green; corolla slightly longer than wide, dentition equal; staminate florets similar, up to 40. Cypsela 1.3 x 0.9 mm, golden brown, biconvex, compressed, without wrinkles.
Similar taxa
Of uncertain status mostly resembling an F1 hybrid between L. pusilla Hook.f. and L. pectinata (Hook.f.) D.G.Lloyd et C.J.Webb subsp. pectinata. It is perhaps closest to glabrous forms of L. pusilla from which it mainly differs by its monoecious rather than dioecious flowering habit, glabrous, dark veined, rather coriaceous leaves, and higher chromosome number (2n = 156 cf. 2n = 104). Since its formal description in 1972 this species has not been definitely collected since, searches of the only known habitat have only found occasional hybrids between L. pusilla and L. pectinata subsp. pectinata.
Flowering
December
Flower colours
Green, Yellow
Fruiting
January - March
Life cycle
Papery cypselae are dispersed by wind and possibly attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Plants were cultivated prior to their formal description in 1972 but no records of how they were grown seem to have been kept. Probably easy from rooted pieces.
Threats
Unknown. This species has not been reliably reported since it was described in 1972. Its assumed habitat is still present and intact but periodic searches have yet to find further plants.
Etymology
leptinella: From the Greek word leptos (meaning slender, thin or delicate), referring to the ovary
Taxonomic Notes
Leptinella intermedia was described by Lloyd (1972) from a single wild gathering and plants he grew from that and held in cultivation. Lloyd (1972) speculated that L. intermedia although now stable, had a hybrid origin, possibly involving L. pectinata and L. pusilla. Given (1981) noted that while the species had not been seen again, superficially similar plants had been found at the type locality, and he too speculated that the species may be a hybrid - and not in this case stable. Subsequently de Lange et al. (2013) rejected this species on the grounds that it was a hybrid. However, as doubt still remains it seems preferrable to retain this species for now, pending a more thorough investigation of the problem. Indeed all of the New Zealand members of Leptinella are now in need of a modern taxonomic revision, with major taxonomic issues evident in the L. dioica, L. squalida complexes as well as problems like that described here for L. intermedia. As retention of the species is advocated, Leptinella intermedia, using Townsend et al. (2008) is given an interim threat status of ‘Data Deficient’, a conservation ranking that requires formal ratification when the New Zealand Indigenous Vascular Plant Threat Listing Panel next meet.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 31 August 2006. Description from Lloyd (1972) - as Cotula intermedia.
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Given, D.R. 1981: Rare and Endangered plants of New Zealand. Reed. Auckland.
Lloyd, D.G. 1972: A revision of the New Zealand, Subantarctic, and South American species of Cotula, section Leptinella. New Zealand Journal of Botany 10: 277-372.
Townsend, A.J.; de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Molloy, J.; Miskelly, C.; Duffy, C. 2008: The New Zealand Threat Classification System manual. Wellington, Department of Conservation.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Leptinella intermedia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/leptinella-intermedia/ (Date website was queried)