Spergularia tasmanica
Common name
New Zealand sea spurrey, native sea spurrey
Synonyms
Lepigonum tasmanicum Kindb.
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Chromosome number
2n = 72
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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand (North, South and Stewart Islands) and Australia (Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania)
Habitat
Coastal (rarely inland in lowland saline areas). A locally common, often sparsely distributed species of mudflats (especially the upper Sarcocornia dominated reaches of estuaries), also on consolidated sand, cliff faces and rubble slopes.
Detailed description
Perennial with thick, woody rootstock. Branches erect to ± decumbent from base. Leaves 10-60(-80) × 1-2 mm, yellow-green to ± green or reddish green, flattened, mucronate to shortly caudate, glabrous to sparsely glandular-ciliate. Stipules (3-)4-6(-7) mm long, acute to acuminate, sometimes furcate, shortly connate in the inflorescence. Inflorescence lax, densely invested in glandular hairs (0.1-)0.15-0.25(-0.5) mm long. Pedicels much longer than sepals. Sepals 3.0-3.5(-5.0) mm (mostly 4-6 mm long in fruit), ovate-lanceolate; glaucescent, occasionally with dark purple spots at base. Petals c.4 mm long, pink or mauve soon fading to white flushed pink or white. Stamens 5-10. Capsules 6-9 mm long (up to 2 mm longer than sepals), ovoid. Seeds 0.7-0.9(-1.1) mm long, dark grey-brown to jet black, pyriform to orbicular, bluntly to prominently colliculate-papillose, usually all scariously winged (rarely all wingless or some wingless in same capsule), the wing margin centre to erose-denticulate.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the allied, naturalised S. media by the black or dark grey-brown, colliculate-papillose seeds. Those of S. media are rust-brown and smooth.
Flowering
July - June
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
July - June
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed. Needs full sun and a free draining but moist soil to flourish.
Etymology
tasmanica: Named after Abel Janzoon Tasman (1603-1659) who in the 17th century was the first European to sight Van Dieman’s land (now known as Tasmania)
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Notes on taxonomy
Previously this indigenous plant had been known as Spergularia media (L.) C.Presl. Spergularia media is an allied European species which is now considered to be naturalised to Australasia.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (Updated 8 May 2011). Description adapted from Adams et al. (2008).
References and further reading
Adams, L.G.; West, J.G.; Cowley, K.J. 2008: Revision of Spergularia (Caryophyllaceae) in Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 21: 251-270. Flora of Australia
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Spergularia tasmanica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/spergularia-tasmanica/ (Date website was queried)