Class
Order
Family
Classification
Subordinate Taxa
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Char. Gen. Pl., ed. 2. 136, t.68 (1776)
Synonymy:
- ≡ Gingidium squarrosum (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) F.Muell., Veg. Chatham Isl. 18 (1864)
Lectotype (designated by Oliver 1956): [New Zealand], Forster 56, no date, BM BM000810323; Residual syntypes: [New Zealand], Forster s.n., no date, GOET GOET012590, K K000685213, K000685214, S S-G-55
- = Laserpitium aciphylla L.f., Suppl. Pl. 181 (1781) nom. illeg.
- ≡ Ligusticum aciphylla (L.f.) Spreng. (1813) nom. illeg.
- ≡ Ligosticon aciphyllum (L.f.) St.-Lag. (1880) nom. illeg.
- = Aciphylla squarrosa var. [α] angustifolia Hook.f., Bot. Antarct. Voy. II. (Fl. Nov.-Zel.) Part I, 88 (1853)
Syntypes: [New Zealand], Forster [various–see syntypes of Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.]; [New Zealand], Banks & Solander s.n., 1769–1770, BM (?, not found on the online catalogue of BM, accessed 13 Dec. 2024), AK 50909, 105411, 105412, 105413 (not viewed), WELT SP063741/A-B; Waihu-atua [?], Bidwill 18, no date, K K002741975, K002741976
- = Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk, Stud. Fl. New Zealand 208 (1899)
Syntypes: Headwaters of Oroua, Howlett s.n., 4 Jan. 1897, WELT SP048115; Oroua source, Howlett s.n., 4 Jan. 1897, WELT SP048317; Headwaters of Oroua, Howlett s.n., 15 Jan. 1897, WELT SP011590/A-B, SP048314, SP048315, SP048316, SP048320, SP048321, SP048322; Headwaters of Oroua, Howlett s.n., 15 Jan. 1897, WELT SP011591
Vernacular Name(s):
Kākaramea; Karamea; Kueo; Kurikuri; Kuweo; Papaī; Spaniard; Speargrass; Taramea; Tūmatukuru
Description
Us. large plants up to c. 1 m. tall, forming dense tussocks. Lvs ∞, 3-pinnate, spreading, subglaucous; margins and midribs crenulate-serrulate; occ. plants may have some lvs 2-pinnate. Sheaths erect, whitish, fleshy except membr. margins, up to 15 × 5 cm.; stipules with petiolate bases c. 2 × 1 cm., unequal, 3-foliolate, outer segs up to 20 cm., inner to 6 cm., terminal to 25 cm. long, pungent; petiolar or ligular portion sts up to c. 4cm. long. Petioles up to c. 15 cm. × 1–2 mm., internodes up to c. 5 cm. long. Primary pinnae us. 1 pair, again pinnate, internodes c. 3 cm. long; secondary pinnae us. 1 pair, again pinnate, sts bearing accessory pinnules; final segs up to 25 cm. × 4 mm., concavo-convex, with long pungent points. Stems of male plants ridged, up to ± 8 dm. × 2 cm. including infl. up to c. 4 dm. long. Bracts. ∞; sheaths pale, membr., ridged, up to 4 × 1 cm., tapering to apex. stipules unequal, up to 3 cm. × 1 mm. Lamina 3-foliolate; lateral pair of lflts up to c. 9 cm. long; terminal lflt to 20–25 cm. × 3 mm., stiff, pungent, becoming strongly reflexed. Umbels on stout peduncles up to c. 6–10 cm. long, us. with lateral umbellules near base as well as at apex, up to c. 4 cm. diam. Umbellules crowded, forming heads ± 2 cm. diam; rays ∞, ± 10 mm. long. Stems of female plants up to ± 1 m. tall including infl. up to c. 6 dm. tall. Bract-sheaths thin, ribbed; lower c. 5 × 2 cm. stipules unequal, 4–8–(15) cm. long. Lamina of lower sheaths pinnate, with occ. accessory pinnules; petiole flat, ± 10 mm. long, internodes to 2 cm. long; pinnae 2 pairs; terminal lflt up to 15 cm. long, at length strongly reflexed. Umbels c. 8, on stout peduncles ± 5 cm. long bearing lateral umbellules near base; involucral bracts linear. Umbellules ± 10, c. 15 mm. diam., on short rays. Petals pale yellow. Fr. c. 6–8 mm. long; mericarps 4–3-winged. Vittae 2–3 per furrow, 4–6 commissural.
[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Indigenous (Endemic) | 2 |
| Total | 2 |
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. [as Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. var. squarrosa; Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk] [Data deficient; Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [as Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk] [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76. [as Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk]
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. [as Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. var. squarrosa; Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk] [Declining; Naturally Uncommon]
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. [as Aciphylla squarrosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. var. squarrosa; Aciphylla squarrosa var. flaccida Kirk] [Naturally Uncommon; Not Threatened]
Forster, J.R.; Forster, G. 1776: Characteres Generum Plantarum quas in Itinere ad Insulas Maris Australis Collegerunt, Descripserunt, Delinearunt, Annis. Edition 2. White, Cadell & Elmsley, London.
Hooker, J.D. 1852–1853 ("1853"): The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839–1843, under the command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. II. Flora Novae-Zelandiae. Part I. Flowering plants. Lovell Reeve, London.
Kirk,T. 1899: The Students' Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying Islands. Government Printer, Wellington, N.Z.
Linnaeus, C. von f. 1782 ("1781"): Supplementum Plantarum. Orphanotrophe, Brunswig.
Mueller, F.J.H. 1864: The vegetation of the Chatham Islands. Government Printer, Melbourne.
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)
