Class
Family
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Nertera depressa Banks & Sol. ex Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 124, t. 26 (1788)
Synonymy:
- = Nertera montana Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 28: 595 (1895 [1896])
Vernacular Name(s):
Bead plant; Fruiting duckweed; Nertera
Description
Forming small to large patches up to c.3m. diam., glab. or rarely with odd hairs, faintly to strongly foetid when brusied. Stems obscurely tetragonous, slender to rather stout, up to c. 3 dm. or in some forms 1 m. long, us. much-branched. Lvs on petioles (1)–2–3–(4) mm. long, sts up to 10 mm. when shaded; stipules small, us. rather thick, broad- to narrow-triangular. Lamina ovate to broad-ovate to occ. suboribicular or deltoid-ovate, submembr. to thick; (3)–5–8–(15) × 2–3–5–(10) mm., acute to obtuse, us. minutely apiculate, abruptly narrowed to rounded or truncate or subcordate base; margins thickened, recurved, sts slightly waved. Fls axillary and terminal, sessile, very small. Calyx truncate; corolla subcampanulate, (1)–2–3 mm. long, tube very short, lobes 4, ± ⅓ length tube. Styles slightly exserted. Drupes glab., succulent, globose, bright to dark red, c. 4 mm. diam.
[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
Phenology
Flowering: Nov.–Feb.; Fruiting: Dec.–May.
Bibliography
Colenso, W. 1896: Phænogams: A description of a few more newly-discovered indigenous plants; being a further contribution towards the making known the botany of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 28: 591–613.
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]
Gaertner, J. 1788: De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum. Vol. 1. Stuttgart.
Gardner, R.O. 1999: Nertera scapanioides (Rubiaceae) redescribed. New Zealand Natural Sciences 24: 9–19.
Thompson, I.R. 2010: A new species of Leptostigma (Rubiaceae: Coprosminae) and notes on the Coprosminae in Australia. Muelleria 28(1): 29–39.
