Pachystegia hesperia
Common names
rock daisy
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 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPR, DPT
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Pachystegia hesperia is “distinguished by its compact and low statured growth habit, obovate to elliptic-oblong leaves with the adaxial surface reticulate with distinctive primary and secondary veins, a short peduncle and narrow capitula, smaller and fewer ray petals and fewer disc florets” (Heenan & Molloy 2022).
Similar taxa
Most similar to Pachystegia insignis, which is the most widespread species in the genus.
Distribution
“A western and inland distribution comprising Lowry Peaks Range, Amuri Range, and southern parts of Inland and Seaward Kaikōura Ranges” (Heenan & Molloy 2022).
Habitat
Rock outcrops
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Taxonomic notes
Previously known by the tagnames Pachystegia “B” or Pachystegia “Lowry” (Heenan & Molloy 2022). Pachystegia hesperia was considered indistinguishable from Shawia (Pachystegia) minor by Salidiva & Nicol (2025). However, despite this conclusion those authors did not formally treat Pachystegia hesperia in the synonymy of Shawia (Pachystegia) minor. Therefore, pending further study the NZPCN Taxonomic Subcommittee has agreed to retain Pachystegia hesperia at species rank in that genus.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Other information
Etymology
pachystegia: Thick covering
hesperia: From the Greek hesperos ‘evening’ (i.e. western), referring to its westerly distribution
Previous 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 | Data Deficient
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Heenan P.B. and Molloy B.P.J. 2022: Recognition of Pachystegia hesperia sp. nov. and notes on P. insignis, P. minor and P. rufa (Asteraceae: Astereae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 60. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2022.2107939
Saldivia, P.; Nicol, D.A. 2025: Reinstatement, broader circumscription, and infrageneric classification of Shawia (Astereae, Celmisiinae), a large woody genus endemic to Australasia. Phytoneuron 49: 1–43.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (1 October 2022) and updated by Peter J. de Lange (5 December 2025). Brief description and Distribution sections copied by Melissa Hutchins from Heenan & Molloy (2022).