Pomaderris paniculosa subsp. novaezelandiae
Synonyms
Pomaderris oraria var. novae-zelandiae L.B.Moore
Family
Rhamnaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Chromosome number
2n = 36
Current conservation status
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 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Low growing sprawling shrub with fuzzy twigs bearing wrinkled oval smooth-edged leaves inhabiting sites in Northland. Often appears partly dead. Leaves 14-45mm long by 8-15mm wide, underside covered by whiteish fuzz. Flowers brownish, in small clusters along a leafless stalk. Fruit small, dry.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Te Paki (Surville Cliffs) and near Whangarei (Mt Manaia, Mt Aubrey, Bream Head)
Habitat
A plant of open, rocky ground, cliff faces and rock pillars. On the Surville Cliffs it is a common plant of open ultramafic (serpentinite) talus, cliff faces and less commonly plateau scrub. At Mt Manaia it is confined to the andesitic plugs and associated boulderfield
Features
Rather untidy, prostrate, sprawling, often widely scrambling to sub-erect shrub 1-2 × 1-2 m, main branches arising at ground level, these often layering. Adult leaves 9-50 × 6-20 mm, oblong; upper surface glabrous; lower surface with dense tomentum of sessile and stalked stellate hairs, often brown or ferruginous; margins sinuate to shallowly crenate, not revolute; petioles to 10 mm, stipules 1-2 mm long, soon deciduous. Juvenile leaves extremely variable, sometimes < 6 mm long, conspicuously toothed, thinly tomentose on both surfaces. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal, elongated, leafless panicle. Flowers dark orange-brown or green-brown, c.4 mm diameter; calyx spreading, calyx-tube covered in mealy, stellate hairs, lobes c.1.5 mm long, persistent to capsule maturity. Petals 0. Anthers ovoid. Style divided to > ½ length. Ovary with apical tuft of short-rayed stellate hairs, wholly immersed in the calyx tube at anthesis, slightly > ½ immersed at fruiting. Fruit cocci opening by opercula occupying four-fifths of their inner faces. Seeds 1.6 × 1.1 mm, usually one per flower, dark brown, smooth, not glossy.
Similar taxa
Easily recognised by the sprawling, widely spreading, growth habit (often with plants bearing many dead or dying branches), slender branches; stipules which are deciduous; glabrous adult leaves which have entire margins; and by the persistent sepals. It is perhaps closest to P. rugosa Cheeseman which differs by its geographic isolation (Herekino, Silverdale, Coromandel Peninsula, Hauraki Gulf Islands, Firth of Thames, Aotea and Kawhia Harbours), usually erect rather than sprawling, prostrate growth habit, cream or pale yellow, rather than brownish flowers and by the fruits which have deciduous rather than persistent sepals
Flowering
October - December
Flower colours
Brown, Orange
Fruiting
November - February
Propagation technique
Can be grown from layered pieces, semi-hardwood cuttings and fresh seed. Does best in full sun, with excellent drainage.
Threats
Aside from its localised distribution, this plant is abundant and under no obvious threat.
Etymology
pomaderris: Lid skin
Where To Buy
occasionally available from specialist native plant nurseries
Cultural Use/Importance
Other records of this species from Maunganui Bluff and Cape Maria Van Diemen are considered doubtful, and the latter location is not supported by wild herbarium specimens but only garden plants purported to be from that location.
Attribution
Description based on herbarium specimens and both Allan (1961) and Webb et al. (1988).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand.