Shawia fimbriata
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Rare small tree bearing many erect branches that are squareish in cross-section and with clusters of dark green leaves that are white underneath inhabiting eastern South Island valleys. Leaves 10-17mm long by 4-6mm wide. Flowers small, body has hair-edged scales (lens needed). Seeds fluffy.
Flower colours
Cream, Yellow
Detailed description
Semi-deciduous shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall; multistemmed or with a single trunk up to 500 mm diameter. Branchlets 4-angled, pale grey or brown, brachyblasts up to 7 × 2 mm. Leaves of adults opposite or in fascicles on brachyblasts; lamina 10–17 x 4–6 mm, elliptic, broadly elliptic to obovate, dark green above, lower surface tomentose with loose and dull hairs, margin entire, apex obtuse to subacute. Inflorescence solitary or in fascicles of 2–5 capitula on brachyblasts, capitula 4 × 4 mm, sessile or peduncles up to 1 mm long. Involucral bracts 16–25, in 3 series, 1.0–1.5 mm long, lanceolate, apex obtuse or subacute, margins with dense white spreading hairs, surface more or less glabrous. Ray florets 5, 3.0–3.5 mm long, limb 0.5 mm long. Disc florets 8, 3.0–3.5 mm long, corolla lobes 0.5–0.8 mm long, tube 2 mm long, pubescent in a ring just below throat with stiff antrorse hairs and a few hairs on corolla lobes. Achenes 1.0–1.5 mm long, narrow obovate, clad in very short, sparse, stiff antrorse hairs; pappus hairs 2 mm long.
Similar taxa
Shawia fimbriata is most easily distinguished from the other small-leaved Shawia species by its elliptic to obovate and dark green leaves and the involucral bracts that have a distinct fringe of hairs and a usually glabrous lower surface. The most similar species is S. odorata, but this is distinguished by leaves that are linear-obovate and with cuneate bases, involucral bracts that are viscid and covered with sessile glandular hairs only, and the corolla having short, sparse and glandular hairs.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island (Canterbury, Otago, and Southland).
Habitat
Lowland to montane shrubland, alluvial flats, and among shattered rocky outcrops.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: RF
Threats
Although widespread this species is often known from scattered individuals over large parts of its range and at few sites it is actively regenerating. Very few sites are protected.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Olearia fimbriata Heads
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
January–February
Fruiting
January–March
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and semi-hardwood cuttings. Bets in a sunny, well drained situation. Dislikes humidity.
Other information
Extra information
Fact sheet about Olearia fimbriata written by the Department of Conservations Olearia Recovery Group
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.
OLEFIM
Chromosome number
2n = 108
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: PD, RF
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: PD, RF
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: PD, RF
2004 | Serious Decline
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: NR, NStr, PD, PF, TL
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
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Norton, D.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2010: Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.
Heads, M. 1998. Biodiversity in the New Zealand divaricating tree daisies: Olearia sect. nov. (Compositae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 127(3): 239-285.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2006. Description by P.B Heenan (adapted from Heads (1998) and subsequently published in de Lange et al. (2010)).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Shawia fimbriata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/shawia-fimbriata/ (Date website was queried)