Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Rosales Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Acaena Mutis ex L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Acaena anserinifolia (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) J.B.Armstr., Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 12: 338 (1880)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Ancistrum anserinifolium J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Char. Gen. Pl. 4 (1775) – as anserinaefolium
  • ≡ Acaena anserinifolia (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Druce, Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles Suppl. 2: 484 (1917) nom. illeg., non Acaena anserinifolia (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) J.B.Armstr. 1880
  • = Ancistrum sanguisorbae L.f., Suppl. Pl. 89 (1781)
  • ≡ Acaena sanguisorbae (L.f.) Vahl, Enumeratio Plantarum Horti Regii Botanici Berolinensis 1: 294 (1805)
  • = Ancistrum diandrum G.Forst., Fl. Ins. Austr. 10 (1786)
  • = Ancistrum decumbens Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. t. 32 (1788)
  • = Acaena sanguisorbae subsp. pusilla Bitter, Biblioth. Bot. 74: 271 (1911)
  • ≡ Acaena pusilla (Bitter) Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 362 (1961)
  • = Acaena pusilla var. suprasericascens Bitter, Biblioth. Bot. 74: 272 (1911)
  • = Acaena sanguisorbae var. viridor Cockayne, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 48: 193 (1916)
  • ≡ Acaena viridior (Cockayne) Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 361 (1961)
Vernacular Name(s):
bidibid; Huruhuru-o-hine-nui-te-pō; Hutiwai; Kaiā; Kaiārurerure; Kaikaiā; Kaikaiārure; Pirikahu; piripiri; Piriwhetau
 Description

Stoloniferous perennial; prostrate stems 1–1.5 mm diam., < 1 m long; erect stems 1–1.5 mm diam., < 15 cm long (or longer if scrambling on supporting vegetation). Lvs 1–7.5 cm long; stipules 3–8-fid; leaflets 9–13, oblong, 4–17 × 2–9 mm, 7–15-toothed to base, dull green and sparsely or densely hairy on upper surface, paler, glaucescent and silky hairy on lower surface; basal leaflets usually suffused with brown; teeth penicillate. Scape 4–12 cm long, pilose; capitulum 5–8 mm diam. at flowering, 1–2 cm diam. (including spines) at fruiting; florets c. 50–60; sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white or rose; style 1, white; achene 1. Fr. obconic, c. 3 × 1.2 mm, hairy; spines 4, pale brown, 4–9 mm long, barbed.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Oct.–Jan.; Fruiting: Dec.–Apr.

 Bibliography
Armstrong, J.B. 1880: A short sketch of the flora of the Province of Canterbury, with catalogue of species. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 12: 325–353.
Bitter, G. 1911: Die Gattung Acaena. Vorstudien zu einer Monographie. Bibliotheca Botanica 74: 249–336.
Cockayne, L. 1916: Notes on New Zealand floristic botany, including descriptions of new species, etc. (No. 1). Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 48: 193–202.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Druce, G.C. 1917: Report / Botanical Society and Exchange Club of the British Isles for 1916, Suppl. 2
Enumeratio Plantarum Horti Regii Botanici Berolinensis
Forster, J.G.A. 1786: Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus. Dietrich, Göttingen.
Forster, J.R.; Forster, G. 1775: Characteres Generum Plantarum:quas in itinere ad insulas maris Australis, collegerunt, descripserunt, delinearunt, annis 1772-1775. Edition 1. London.
Gaertner, J. 1788: De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum. Vol. 1. Stuttgart.
Linnaeus, C. von, filius 1782 ("1781"): Supplementum Plantarum Systematis Vegetabilium. Orphanotrophe, Brunswig.