- Taxon
- Gallery
Classification
Class
Order
Family
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Aciphylla ferox W.R.B.Oliv.
Vernacular Name(s):
Fierce speargrass; Taramea
Description
Very stout tussocks up to c. 1 m. tall. Lvs subflabellately pinnate, 2–4 pairs, up to ± 4 dm. long. Sheaths thick, coriac., ± 7 × 3 cm., tapering to c. 2 cm. Stipules rigid, ± 15 × 4 mm., tapering to rigid pungent tips. Petioles slightly concavo-convex, striate, ± 10–15 cm. × ± 15 mm., tapering to c. 10 mm.; margins cartilaginous, smooth. Lowest internodes up to c. 3 cm. long. Primary pinnae straight or nearly so, erect, lowest ± 15 cm. × 10–15 mm., with base ± 7 mm. wide, expanding to greatest width at ± middle, then tapering to pungent point; midrib us. rather obscure, margins serrulate-crenulate. Stems very stout, grooved; male plants with infl. c. 75 cm. long; bracts verticillate, lower whorl empty, ± 15 cm. distant from next whorl. Sheath submembr., ribbed, ± 9 cm. × 10 mm., gradually tapering to ± 6 mm. Stipules unequal, stiff, up to ± 7 cm. × 2 mm., pungent; central lflt up to c. 20 cm. × 4 mm. Upper bracts rigid; sheaths very coriac., ± 3 cm. × 5 mm.; stipules us. absent; lflt rigid, ± 5 cm. × 3 mm., midrib evident. Umbels ∞, on stout striate peduncles up to ± 8–10 cm. × 2–3 mm., bearing at intervals small umbels; main umbels on stiff rays up to c. 3 cm. long, with narrow lanceolate involucral bracts ± 5 mm. long. Umbellules on spreading rays up to 1 cm. long, ± 5 mm. diam. Fr. c. 4 mm. long.
[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
Bibliography
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]
