Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Apiales Nakai
Family
Umbelliferae
Genus
Aciphylla J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Aciphylla lyallii Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 92 (1864)
Synonymy:
Lectotype (designated by Oliver 1956): Dusky Bay, Lyall s.n., no date, K K000340020; Note: Other collections from the protologue (Rangitata by Sinclair & Haast; Otago, Lake District by Hector & Buchanan) were not found on the online catalogue of K (accessed 25 Nov. 2024), and have not been tracked. CHR 329680 (Southern Alps, Haast s.n., no date) is doubtfully original material.
  • = Aciphylla cuthbertiana Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 47: 48 (1915)
Lectotype (designated by Oliver 1956): End Peak, Crosby-Smith s.n., 21 Jan. 1910, WELT SP000385; Residual syntypes: The Hump, Crosby-Smith s.n., Jan. 1911, WELT SP000386; End Peak or The Hump, Crosby-Smith s.n., 21 Jan. 1910 or Jan. 1911, WELT SP000387, SP000388, SP000389; Mount Cleughearn, Crosby-Smith [& Cuthbert] s.n., Jan. 1914, CHR 329735
 Description

Stock rather stout, simple to branched; lvs pinnate, up to c. 3 dm. long. Sheaths ± 5 × 1 cm., with pale membr. margins; stipules ± 2 cm. × 2 mm., tapering to pungent apex; petioles ± keeled, up to c. 10 cm. long, lower internodes ± 3 cm. long. Primary pinnae 2 pairs, up to 10 cm. × 3 mm., sts with short accessory pinnule; margins thickened, smooth. Rarely some specimens have simple lvs and sts lvs are exstipulate. Stems of male plants slender to rather stout, up to c. 4 dm. long including narrow infl. up to 2 dm. long. Bract-sheaths ± 4 cm. × 15 mm., thin; stipules up to 15 mm. long, linear. pungent; lamina with ± 3 pairs of pinnae up to 15 mm. long, terminal lflt up to 2 cm. long. Umbels on slender peduncles up to ± 3 cm. long; umbellules several. up to c. 1 cm. diam., on filiform unequal rays. Stems of female plants grooved, up to 9 dm. × 5 mm. including infl. ± 2 dm. long, Bracts erect, ± concealing umbels; sheaths c. 4 cm. × 10 mm., rather thick; stipules ± 10 × 2 mm., narrowed to pungent apex; lamina of 1–2 pinnae ± 3 cm. long, terminal lflt slightly longer. Umbellules few. Fr. c. 5 mm. long; mericarps 5-winged; vittae 1–2 per furrow, 2–4 commissural.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Gosden, J.; Courtney, S.P.; Fergus, A.J.; Barkla, J.W.; Beadel, S.M.; Champion, P.D., Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Makan, T.; Michel, P. 2024: Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 43. [Not threatened]
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]
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.
Perrie, L.R.; Glenny, D.S.; Shepherd, L.D. 2025: Taxonomic synopsis of Aciphylla (Apiaceae): accepted species, nomenclature, and hybridisation. New Zealand Journal of Botany: 1–41 (online) . (Published online: 21 May 2025 https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2025.2498442)
Petrie, D. 1914: Descriptions of new native phanerogams, with other short notices. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 47: 48–59.