Wahlenbergia pygmaea subsp. drucei
Common name
mountain harebell, Egmont harebell
Synonyms
Wahlenbergia pygmaea Colenso subsp pygmaea
Family
Campanulaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
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) – 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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Mount Egmont, Taranaki
Habitat
Montane to alpine. Inhabiting semi-consolidated volcanic grit, where it is usually a pioneer at the foot of a scree or similar bare eroded site. Also colonising white lichen beds (Stereocaulon ramulosum) at lower elevations on consolidated gravel along the Stony River
Detailed description
Perennial rhizomatous herb with rosulate tufts of leaves at ground level. Leaves bright green, glossy, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, petiolate; lamina orbicular-spathulate, 10 × 3 to 20 × 5 mm. Leaf margin crenate-serrate, often undulate, teeth conspicuous. Flowers usually insect-pollinated, some forms self-fertile; erect or nodding on short upright scapes, 40-100 mm tall, which may be naked or 1-2-bracted. Corolla pale blue with creamy-white central band in each petal; up to 30 mm diameter, up to 18 mm long, broadly campanulate with tube as broad as or broader than long, lobes c.9 × 7 mm, spreading, broadly elliptic-lanceolate, acute. Calyx lobes c.3.0 × 1.5 mm, glabrous, narrow-triangular. Capsule c.10 × 6 mm, glabrous, domed cylindrical to plump barrel-shaped. Seeds ellipsoid, glossy brown.
Similar taxa
Differs from subsp. pygmaea by its restriction of Mt Taranaki; by its spathulate leaves which are conspicuously toothed along the margins; and by the flowers which are pale blue with a creamy-white central band in each petal.
Flowering
November January
Flower colours
Blue, White
Fruiting
December - February
Propagation technique
Easily grown from tip cuttings and the division of whole plants. Fresh seed germinates readily.
Threats
A Naturally Uncommon range-restricted endemic that is abundant within the montane to alpine areas of Mt Taranaki. There are no known threats.
Etymology
wahlenbergia: Named in honour of Wahlenberg, a Swedish botanist and author of A Botany of Lapland.
pygmaea: Tiny
drucei: Named after Anthony (Tony) Peter Druce, one of New Zealand’s most respected field botanist (1920-1999).
New Zealand Botanical History
For a brief biography for this plant is named, see this article in Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Hundreds of Tony’s famed plant lists can be found here and back-issues of regional Botanical Society Journals which he contributed can be accessed here.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared by P.J. de Lange 12 June 2007. Description adapted from Petterson (1997).
References and further reading
Petterson, J.A. 1997: Revision of the genus Wahlenbergia (Campanulaceae) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botanv 35: 9-54.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Wahlenbergia pygmaea subsp. drucei Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/wahlenbergia-pygmaea-subsp-drucei/ (Date website was queried)