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  4. Pimelea lyallii

Pimelea lyallii

Pimelea lyallii.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Three Sisters, Omaui.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Cannibal Bay, Catlins.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Pimelea lyallii.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Pimelea lyallii.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mason Bay, Stewart Island.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mason Bay, Stewart Island.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fortrose Spit, Southland (fruit).<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fortrose Spit, Southland (leaf details).<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fortrose Spit, Southland (leaf detail).<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Synonyms

None

Family

Thymelaeaceae

Authority

Pimelea lyallii Hook.f.

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons

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.

PIMLYA

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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). 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.

2018 | At Risk – Declining

Previous conservation statuses

2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp

2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

2004 | Gradual Decline

Brief description

Low growing shrub with flexible twigs bearing crowded pairs of pointed leaves that are densely hairy underneath inhabiting dunes in southern New Zealand. Twigs usually buried in sand. Leaves 5-7mm long by 2-3mm wide. Flowers hairy, white, in clusters at tip of twigs. Fruit white.

Distribution

Endemic. Confined to the Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island coastline.

Habitat

Coastal in sand dunes and their associated swales.

Features

A small to medium-sized shrub. Stems prostrate, flexible, up to 600 mm long, sometimes producing adventitious roots if buried by sand. Young branches ascendant and moderately to densely clad in long, white (sometimes yellowish) hairs; internode length 2.5–8.0 mm; older stems sparsely hairy to glabrous, brown. Node buttresses short, lunate (0.3–0.5 mm), smooth, brown, hairless, or with sparse, short hair, masked by internode hair on young stems, not prominent on leafless stems. Leaves usually distant, sometimes closely spaced and imbricate, ascendant, then patent or deflexed, persistent, on short (0.5 mm), often red petioles; lamina pale green, glabrous above, moderately densely to densely covered in white to yellowish hair below (also along margins and at tip); 5–7 mm long × 2–3 mm wide, elliptic to slightly ovate, flat to slightly concave above, midvein obscure below; acute, base cuneate. Stomata on both leaf surfaces. Inflorescences terminal on branchlets, loose, 3–4-flowered, sometimes clustered in groups of 2 or more; receptacles flat to convex, very hairy. Involucral bracts 4, up to 9 × 3 mm, sometimes with a few hairs on the upperside near the base, densely hairy below and on margins and tips. Plants gynodioecious. Flowers white, on short pedicels (0.5 mm); tube and calyx lobes very hairy outside; inside hairless. Female tube 3.5 mm long, ovary portion 3 mm, calyx lobes 1.2 × 0.9 mm; hermaphrodite tube 5 mm long, ovary portion 2 mm, calyx lobes 2.0 × 1.6 mm. Anther filaments inserted at mouth of tube; anther yellow. Ovary very hairy at summit. Fruits ovoid, fleshy, 5.0 × 3.8 mm, white, opaque. The tube breaks off, irregularly, near the base as the fruits ripen. Seeds pyriform, with thin crest, 2.5 × 1.8 mm. Description based on Burrows (2009).

Similar taxa

Pimelea lyallii is easily recognised within its natural habitat because it is the only species found within active to semi-stable dune fields. P. lyallii could only be confused with plants currently attributed to P. prostrata. From this it is perhaps best distinguished by its longer leaves and flower perianths. Herbarium material is less easily resolved, particularly when it is sterile.

Flowering

October - April

Flower colours

White

Fruiting

November - April

Propagation technique

Easy from semi-hardwood cuttings but difficult to maintain in cultivation.

Threats

Widespread along the south Otago, Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island coastlines but its range is contracting in the northern part due to dune consolidation, coastal development and the spread of weeds.

Etymology

pimelea: Pimeleoides means “resembling Pimelea’’, a genus in the family Thymelaeaceae (Greek, -oides = resembling, like).

lyallii: Named after David Lyall (1817-1895), 19th century Scottish naturalist and surgeon with the Royal Navy, who explored Antarctica, New Zealand, the Arctic and North America and was a lifelong friend of Sir Joseph Hooker.

Where To Buy

Occasionally available from some specialist native plant nurseries.

Notes on taxonomy

New Zealand Pimelea Sol. ex Gaertn. urgently require a full taxonomic revision using modern techniques.

Attribution

Description based on Burrows (2008).

References and further reading

Burrows, C.J. 2009: Genus Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) in New Zealand 3. The taxonomic treatment of six endemic hairy-leaved species. New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 325-354.

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