Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Myrtales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Onagraceae
Genus
Epilobium L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Epilobium nummulariifolium R.Cunn. in Cunningham, Ann. Nat. Hist. 3: 31 (1839) – as nummularifolium
Synonymy:
Original material (according to the protologue): "New Zealand (Northern Island). – 1769, Sir Jos. Banks. Shores of the Keri Keri river, and in dry as well as in boggy grounds. – 1834, Rich. Cunningham". Type (fide Raven, Raven, 1976: 279): "Dry as well as boggy grounds, shores of the Kerikeri River, Bay of Islands, North Auckland, New Zealand, 1834, Richard Cunningham 535 (K. Isotypes, BM, G, WELT)". Allan (1961: 259) partially typified the name thus: "Shores of the Kerikeri river, and in dry as well as in boggy grounds. Type: K, R. Cunningham, 1834".
Vernacular Name(s):
creeping willowherb
 Description

Loosely matted, creeping, stem-rooting herb forming patches up to 1 m across. Stems a distinctive pale purplish blue, with strigillose hairs running down the lines decurrent from petiole margins. Lamina of lf broadly ovate to suborbicular, 3–13 × 3–11 mm. Floral tube 0.4–1.1 mm deep, sparsely strigillose outside. Petals white, 1.9–3.4 × 1.7–2.1 mm. Capsule densely grey-strigillose, (1)–1.5–4 cm long; fruiting pedicel 2.3–12.5 cm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Aug.–Apr.

 Bibliography
Cunningham, A. 1839: Florae insularum Novae Zelandiae precursor; or a specimen of the botany of the islands of New Zealand. Annals of Natural History 3: 29–34.
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]
Mosyakin, S.L.; de Lange, P.J.; Antonenko, S.I.; Klimovych, N.B. 2020: Types and other historical specimens of Allan and Richard Cunningham's taxa of Epilobium and Fuchsia (Onagraceae) from New Zealand in the Turczaninow Herbarium at the National Herbarium of Ukraine (KW). Ukrainian Botanical Journal 77(4): 249–269.
Raven, P.H.; Raven, T. E. 1976: The Genus Epilobium (Onagraceae) in Australasia: a Systematic and Evolutionary Study. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 216: 1–321.