Pimelea prostrata subsp. ventosa
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: Sp
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Low growing shrub with rough twigs bearing dense stiff hairs towards the tip and bearing pairs of blue-green leaves that join the stem at a small bump, hairy white flowers and white fruit inhabiting southern South Island coast. Leaves 4.5–10mm long by 2.3–4mm wide, often red edged.
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
A small to medium-sized, sparsely branched, prostrate shrub with main stems to 300 mm long. Branching both sympodial and lateral but the former is more common. Internodes 1–3 mm long, with a sparse to moderately dense cover of fine but stiff hair. Node buttresses dark brown, short (0.3 mm or sometimes to 0.6 mm), lunate, moderately conspicuous on leafless stems. The internodes of young stems are covered by a brown pellicle which fragments as they grow, leaving a muricate patterning. Leaves ascendant, imbricate, or more distant, on short (0.8–1.0 mm) red petioles. Lamina broad elliptic to ovate, 4.5–10 × 2.3–4 mm, light green, glaucous, slightly fleshy, adaxially concave or very slightly keeled, margins thickened, often red, upturned; midvein obscure abaxially, obtuse, base cuneate. Inflorescences terminal, 4–6-flowered. Involucral bracts 4, larger than adjacent leaves (5 × 7 mm). Receptacle very hairy. Flowers white, very hairy outside; inside hairless. Female tube 2.5 mm long, ovary portion 2 mm, calyx lobes 1.5 × 1 mm. Hermaphrodite tube 4.2 mm long, ovary portion very wrinkled, 2 mm, calyx lobes 3 × 2 mm. Ovary with a tuft of short hair at summit and fewer hairs down to the base. Fruits ovoid to globose, fleshy, white, opaque, 4.9 × 3.0 mm. Seeds ovoid, 3.2 × 1.8 mm.
Similar taxa
Plants of the Pimelea prostrata complex are distinguished by the prostrate to decumbent growth habit; by the glabrous to sparse or moderate hair covering on young stem internodes and by the thin and pliable, completely glabrous leaves with stomata clearly visible on both leaf surfaces. Pimelea prostrata subsp. ventosa is distinguished from subsp. prostrata, subsp. seismica, subsp. thermalis and subsp. vulcanica by the lunate node buttresses; relatively densely hairy young stems that become muricate with age, and by the obtuse leaf tips.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (southeastern Otago, south coast of Southland and islands in Foveaux Strait and south-western Fiordland).
Habitat
Coastal, on rock outcrops, cliffs, sand dunes.
Threats
Burrows (2009) is vague about details. The implication is that this subspecies is secure in Fiordland but that it needs better survey to ascertain its status elsewhere.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None (first described in 2009)
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October–May
Fruiting
November–July
Propagation technique
Easily grown from semi-hardwood cuttings and rooted pieces. Seed is difficult to germinate. Best grown in a well drained soil in full sun. An excellent plant for the rockery.
Other information
Etymology
pimelea: from Greek pimelē, meaning “lard” or “soft fat,” presumably referring to the oily seeds or fleshy cotyledons.
prostrata: Prostrate
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: Sp
2012 | Data Deficient
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, RR
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Burrows CJ. 2009. Genus Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) in New Zealand 2. The endemic Pimelea prostrata and Pimelea urvilliana species complexes. New Zealand Journal of Botany 47(2): 163–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288250909509804.
Attribution
Description from Burrows (2009).