Montigena novae-zelandiae
Common name
Scree pea
Synonyms
Swainsona novae-zelandiae Hook.f. var. novae-zelandiae, Swainsona novae-zelandiae var. glabra G.Simpson
Family
Fabaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
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.
MONNOV
Chromosome number
2n = 32
Current conservation status
The threat classification 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. 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. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: RF, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: RF, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: RF, Sp
2004 | Gradual Decline
Distribution
South Island, east of Southern Alps.
Habitat
Subalpine to low alpine, on fine-grained, partially stable and moist greywacke scree, rock debris and gravel slopes. Sometimes in depleted tussock grasslands.
Features
Small woody sub-shrub arising from thin, branched stems that extend to the surface from a deeply buried root stock. Foliage a dull green, leafy tufts, 30-70mm long, 10-60mm wide. Leaves divided, 20-35mm long. Leaflets in 6-10 pairs per leaf, usually folded along the mid-rib; fleshy, grey-green or grey-blue and sometimes flushed red. Flowers in bunches, purplish, clover-pink or golden-brown, arising from axils of older leaves. Seed pods swollen, darkening to orange-red at maturity, grey brown when open. Seeds 10 per pod, 3.5mm long, 3mm wide, brown.
Similar taxa
None. Large bloated sausage-shaped seed pods, fern-like leaf form.
Flowering
December - February
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Violet/Purple
Fruiting
January - April
Propagation technique
Difficult and should not be removed from the wild.
Etymology
montigena: Mountain-born
novae-zelandiae: Of New Zealand
Where To Buy
Not commericially available.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 August 2003). Description based on Allan (1961) - as Swainsona novae-zelandiae (see Hooker 1864).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Wellington, Government Printer.
Heenan, P.B. 1998: Montigena (Fabaceae), a new genus endemic to New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 36(1): 41-51.
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec’s, Lord Auckland’s, Campbell’s and Macquarie’s Islands. Part I ed. London, Reeve. 392 pp.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Montigena novae-zelandiae Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/montigena-novae-zelandiae/ (Date website was queried)