Aciphylla dieffenbachii
| Aciphylla dieffenbachii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Aciphylla dieffenbachii in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Aciphylla |
| Species: | A. dieffenbachii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aciphylla dieffenbachii | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Aciphylla dieffenbachii, also called soft speargrass or Dieffenbach's speargrass, is a species of soft speargrass endemic to the Chatham Islands.
Description
[edit]It is a small perennial with clusters of soft and drooping leaves that divide into blue-green leaflets up to 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) long.[2][3] It produces a striking upright flowering stem up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall.[4] From November to February it produces yellow flowers, and from January to June it produces a golden-yellow fruit that turns a light brown-grey when mature.[3] It has a robust and deep taproot.[4] If damaged, it will bleed a sticky white latex fluid.[3]
Distribution
[edit]It is endemic to the Chatham Islands.[2] Within the Chathams, it has been found on the Chatham, Pitt, Mangere, Little Mangere, and South East (Rangatira) islands, along with some of the Murumuru stacks and islets.[3] It is found solely in coastal areas.[2]
It has also been cultivated, and can be found in gardens on mainland New Zealand.[5]
Taxonomy
[edit]Aciphylla dieffenbachii is named after Johann Karl Ernest Dieffenbach, a German physician, geologist and naturalist. Dieffenbach worked for the New Zealand Company and travelled widely across the country.[2]
Conservation status
[edit]As of 2023, it was classified as At Risk – Declining.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Aciphylla dieffenbachii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Aciphylla dieffenbachii - The University of Auckland". www.nzplants.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ a b c d e "Aciphylla dieffenbachii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ a b "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Aciphylla dieffenbachii". www.nzflora.info. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ Eadie, Fiona (2014). 100 best native plants for New Zealand gardens (Revised ed.). Random House New Zealand. pp. 238–240. ISBN 9781775536512.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Aciphylla dieffenbachii at Wikimedia Commons
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