Pleurophyllum hookeri
Synonyms
None (first described in 1884)
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
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: RR, SO
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic to Auckland Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku and Macquarie Islands in the Subantarctics.
Habitat
Apparently restricted to montane herbfields.
Detailed description
Radical leaves ± 150–350 × 45–65 mm, obovate-oblong, abruptly acute to acuminate, narrowed to sheathing base, coriaceous, completely clad in dense silvery tomentum; margins rather closely crenulate to subentire, hydathodes evident, sheaths densely clad in long floccose hairs; ribs c. 10–15, inconspicuous. Scapes up to 600 mm long, grooved, tomentose; lower leaves narrow-oblong, upper linear; racemes with c. 10–20 capitula, each c. 20 mm diameter. Involucral bracts linear-lanceolate, acuminate, with scattered hairs. Ray-florets short, inconspicuous; disk-florets purple; achenes with silky to substrigose hairs. Pappus-hairs hardly or not at all thickened above
Similar taxa
Distinguished from Pleurophyllum criniferum and P. speciosum by having leaves with both sides covered with silvery appressed tomentum. It is otherwise most similar to P. criniferum with which it shares capitula that have inconspicuous ray florets.
Flowering
December–February
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
Fruiting
January–May
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild
Threats
In the geopolitical New Zealand part of its range this is a naturally uncommon species. It is widespread and abundant within its New Zealand island habitants, with both the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku being Nature Reserves and World Heritage sites with access only by permit, and strictly limited as to numbers of people. This species is however possibly threatened on Macquarie Island, where rabbits have become a serious problem.
Etymology
pleurophyllum: From Greek pleuro- (rib, side) and phyllo- (leaf) components meaning ‘ribbed-leaved’.
hookeri: Named after Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (born 1817) - a world famous botanist who travelled on the Antarctic expedition of 1839 under the command of Sir James Ross and wrote “Handbook of New Zealand Flora” published in 1864-67 describing many specimens sent to Kew by collectors. He died in 1911 and has a memorial stone at Westminster Abbey London.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Attribution
Description adapted from: Allan HH. (1961).
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.