Wurmbea novae-zelandiae
Common names
iphigenia
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Summer-green, inconspicuous bulbous herb. Plants 30-80(-100) mm tall at flowering. Corm 7(-9) x 5(-8) mm, enclosed in persistant papery sheaths. Stem annual, slender, < leaves. Leaves (1-)2(-3), 20-90(-120) x 1-2(-8) mm, linear, deeply channelled or folded, apex terete. Below the flower are 1 or 2 smaller, green or petaloid bract-like leaves. Flower solitary, terminal. Tepals 3-6, 4-5 x 1.5 - 2 mm, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, similar, white or slightly pink. Stamens 3-6, fused to tepal base. Ovary 2.5 mm diam., subglobose, styles widely divergent, and separating with the valves of the ripe capsules. Capsule 4-6(-10) x 2-3-6 mm, oval, pericarp at first green and fleshy, becoming woody on maturity, splitting into 2-6 wide-spreading valves. Seeds orange-brown, 1 mm diam., globose.
Similar taxa
None
Distribution
Endemic to the North and South Island. In the North Island possibly extinct, having been reported twice from the Maungahararu Range. In the South Island it only occurs east of the main divide from Canterbury to Southland.
Habitat
Lowland to subalpine swamps, tarn and lake margins, damp seepages within tussock grasslands, and deflation hollows in alluvial outwash gravels.
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 Endangered | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, RR
Threats
Threatened by wetland modification, drainage, and exotic weeds. Also vulnerable to browse by introduced mammals (hares) and possibly Canada geese.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Anguillaria novae-zelandiae Hook.f., Iphigenia novae-zelandiae (Hook.f.) Baker
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - December
Fruiting
(Dec) January - February
Propagation technique
Difficult and should not be removed from the wild.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Extra information
One of New Zealands few indigenous bulb-bearing plants.
Etymology
wurmbea: The genus Wurmbea is named after Christoph Carl Friedrich von Wurmb (1742 - 1781), a German botanist who emigrated to Jakarta.
novae-zelandiae: Of New Zealand
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.
WURNOV
Chromosome number
2n = 20
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 Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2004 | Gradual Decline
Regional conservation statuses
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 “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: DPS, NStr, PF, Sp
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.
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Wellington, Government Printer.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 August 2003). Description based on Moore & Edgar (1970) - see also de Lange et al. (2010).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Wurmbea novae-zelandiae Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/wurmbea-novae-zelandiae/ (Date website was queried)