Rediscovering NZ Native Herbs

Rediscover of NZ Native herbs  Click this link

This interesting article details the rediscovery of two thought to be extinct native herbs.

Further investigation may  show that seed dormancy is an important survival mechanism for plants.

Alpine Plants of Mt Lyford,

Trip to Mt Lyford December 2014 and 1 January 2015.


We were lucky enough to be taken up the water supply valley and climb onto the rock scree to find many of these plants. 

Mt Lyford is on the border between Canterbury and Marlborough Provinces.


I will write some more about the individual plants and post it on this blog.

Bulbinella species - Maori Onion

Pterostylis species - Greenhood Orchids

Prasophyllum colensoi - Common Leek Orchid

Simpliglottis cornuta - Green Bird Orchid

This one shows a natural variegation on the leaf

Ourisia species

Gunnera dentata

Mysostis traversii

Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum 

Brachyglottis monroi

Craspedia lantana var elongata

Leptinella atrata var luteola

Click above for more information

Stellaria roughii - Scree chickweed

Helichrysum coralloides

Leptinella atrata ssp. luteola Button Daisy

The rocky screes of Mt Lyford make an ideal habitat for scree loving plants and coming across Leptinella atrata ssp. leuteola  in full flower is wonderful. It blends in well with its surrounds. 

Shooting up from buried rhizomes the finely divided leaves, fern like, hairy leaves grow in tufts between the scree stones. Flower stems rise up between 3 and 7 cm above the tufts and carry tight daisy like heads 1-1.5cm across with many individual flowers which in bud are a dark, purplish red crammed together but open to a pale lemon yellow. This makes a lovely flower. 

In cultivation this choice plant grows well in pots or a rock garden provided there is very good drainage. As they are not in an alpine environment the flowering season may be longer.

This photograph was taken  on New Years Eve at Mt Lyford. Metcalf (1993) suggested it was only known at 4 sites in nature. This is a new site but more recent  literature may have included this site. It is found naturally in the greater Marlborough area on the eastern mountain screes.

                    

Leptinella atrata (Hook.f) ssp luteola was named by Dr David Lloyd and Dr Colin Webb in 1987. It was renamed Leptinella atrata subsp. atrata D.G. Lloyd et C.J. Webb.Leuteola means yellow referring to the light yellow florets.

24 species of the genus Leptinella grow in New Zealand but only a few make really good plants in cultivation as most are very low and spreading. Cotula bowling greens have been constructed using some species due to their flat creeping nature and underground rhizomes and ability to grow well in these conditions.

Also see Leptinella atrata ssp atrata on this blog

Native Orchids of Arthurs Pass New Zealand

New Zealand has about 165 species of native orchids. Most produce quite small flowers. The largest flowering genus is Pterostylus the green hooded orchids.

In December 2014 on a trip to Arthurs Pass area we found the following orchids in flower. The three areas we visited were Bealey Spur Track to Top Hut, Otira Valley Track and Punchbowl Falls walk.

Pterostylus No 1

Pterostylis No2

Adenochilus gracilis - Slender Forest Orchid 

Simpliglottis cornuta - Green Bird Orchid

Waireia stenopetala. Yellow Beaks or Beak Orchid

Aporostylis bifolia

Stenostyla lyallii

Aporostylis bifolia

Microtis unifolia Common Onion Orchid

Gastrodia Species.  Potato Orchid

This is a parasitic orchid sending up its flowering spikes from tree roots below ground

Nematoceres species - Spider Orchid

Red Mistletoe

Mistletoe

NZ has 9 species of mistletoe but only two red ones Red and Scarlet Mistletoe.

Red Mistletoe mainly grows on Mountain Beech trees and Scarlet Mistletoe (our largest on which grows up to 3metres in diameter) commonly grows on Silver Beech trees. They flower in December and January.

After flowering the fruit develops that are eaten by birds which distribute the seed to the fork of a branch to grow into a new plant.

Mistletoe has declined over the years due to browsing by possum, but people have been collecting the seed and glueing them onto new trees so they can grow. This has been very successful.

Interestingly mistletoes are hemi-parasitic as they can produce food on their own through photosynthesis and use their special roots (haustoria) to hang onto trees and extract water and nutrients from their hosts.

Kissing under the mistletoe is subject to many myths and legends which have changed over the years. Today kissing under the mistletoe relates to love, long life, happiness and prosperity.

Bealey Spur Track, Arthurs Pass, New Zealand

Plants and views along the Bealey Spur track