Libertia flaccidifolia
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
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.
2023 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DPT
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Detailed description
Plants consisting of closely bunched leafy fans, arising from short, much branched rhizomes. Leaves broad, flaccid, tips usually lying on ground, 500–960 × 7–14mm, green to yellow-green, slightly falcate, the 2 sides similar; leaf bases green to red-brown; veins numerous, median ones may be crowded to form a slight midrib; margins coarsely scabrid. Inflorescences 400–720mm, often shorter than leaf tips at anthesis, but elongating during fruit development to reach at least 2/3 the length of the leaves; peduncles 1/5–2/5 the length of the inflorescence. Panicle broad, usually openly branched; lower bracts l (40–100 mm, green and lanceolate, upper bracts 15–40 mm and green-brown, occurring singly; 1–7 flowers per branch. Pedicels slender and delicate, glabrous, 10–20 mm long. Perianth bud often pigmented externally, usually longer than ovary at anthesis. Flowers 12–15mm diameter; tepals all white internally, inner tepals orbicular, unguiculate, usually overlapping outer tepals, cleft present at tips; outer tepals
Similar taxa
This species is easily distinguished all other species of Libertia by its rather broad, distinctly scabrid, flaccid leaves, whose tips are characteristically tips drooping so as to touch the ground. Unusually the seeds of Libertia flaccidiflora are also yellow or yellow-orange, rather than the orange seeds typical of most other New Zealand Libertia. Another population of Libertia located closer to Warkworth approaches in Libertia flaccidifolia in several respects and requires further study.
Distribution
Endemic. North I. Mt Tamahunga near Warkworth.
Habitat
Montane in mixed forest and shrub land where it is found in full sun or partial shaded situations growing on ridge lines, track sides, steep, dry clay banks, and at the base of rocks.
Threats
Libertia flaccidiflora appears to be a very uncommon, localised endemic which is known only from one site where there are three small populations totalling about 150 plants. In 1967 another population was destroyed when a meteorological microwave station was installed on the summit of Mt Tamahunga. All of the remaining plants are threatened by feral goats and possums which seriously browse plants. Browsing is so severe that recent surveys have found very few unbrowsed adults and almost no seedlings.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None first described in 2009
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–November
Fruiting
December–March
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants. However, its exact cultivation requirements have yet to be determined.
Other information
Etymology
libertia: Named after Marie-Anne Libert, (1782-1865) born & died in Malmedy, province of Liège, Belgium; botanist and mycologist
flaccidifolia: Weak or drooping leaves
Chromosome number
2n = 228
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.
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DP, OL
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: OL
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: OL, RF, RR
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Critical | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, PF, RE, TL
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Blanchon, D.J.; Weaver, J.S. 2009: Libertia flaccidifolia (Iridaceae), a new species from Mt Tamahunga, Northland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 317–324.
Attribution
Description based on Blanchon et al. (2002).