Stellaria multiflora subsp. multiflora
Biostatus
Native
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 | Extinct
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Detailed description
Tufted, glabrous, dark green to glaucescent, annual herb 15-40 mm tall. Stems decumbent to weakly suberect, usually several arising from base. Leaves dark green or glaucous. Petiole short 1-2 mm. Lamina 3-5 mm long, narrow-oblong or oblanceolate, apex subacute to acute, base cuneate. Flowers solitary; peduncles slender 3-10 mm, erect. Bracts leaf like. Sepals 2-3 mm, lanceolate, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, to linear-lanceolate, weakly 1-veined; margins finely but irregularly toothed. Petals absent. Stamens 5-10. Capsule ovoid or globose, < or = sepals. Seeds red-brown, 0.6-0.7 mm, surface with large, rounded tubercles.
Similar taxa
Not closely allied with any of the other nine indigenous and exotic species present in New Zealand. The glaucescent to dark green leaves, diminutive tufted annual habit, and apetalous flowers readily distinguish it from the other Stellaria species in New Zealand.
Distribution
Indigenous. Australia (extant), New Zealand, North Island and South Island. In the North Island known only from collections made from the southern Hawke’s Bay (Lake Rotoatara, Colenso, September 1845 (this lake was drained in 1888)). It was also reported from Cape Kidnappers. In the South Island from the Canterbury Plains (Ashburton), the Waitaki Valley (Kurow) and from Central Otago.
Habitat
Lowland to montane, along lake sides, in river beds, and other seasonally damp habitats. Sparse herbarium annotations suggest it grew in short grass near lake margins. One collection from the Ashburton River has Raoulia monroi and Stellaria gracilenta mixed within it.
Threats
In New Zealand this species seems to have declined and gone extinct because of habitat modification and possibly the spread of weeds into its marginal turf and ephemeral wetland habitats. It was last collected in New Zealand in 1921 (Heenan 2019).
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Stellaria elatinoides Hook.f.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October - November
Fruiting
October - November
Propagation technique
Unknown.
Other information
Etymology
stellaria: Star flower
multiflora: From late Latin, feminine of multiflorus meaning ‘bearing many flowers’
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 | Extinct
2012 | Extinct
2009 | Extinct
2004 | Extinct
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Extirpated | Qualifiers: 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. Christchurch, Canterbury University Press. 471pp.
Heenan, P.B. 2019: Taxonomic notes on the New Zealand flora: the status of the extinct herb Stellaria elatinoides (Caryophyllaceae) and recognition of Stellaria multiflora subsp. multiflora from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 57: https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2019.1645705
Attribution
Fact Sheet by P.J. de Lange (15 August 2008). Description adapted from de Lange et al. (2010).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Stellaria multiflora subsp. multiflora Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/stellaria-multiflora-subsp-multiflora/ (Date website was queried)