Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Caryophyllales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Polygonaceae
Genus
Muehlenbeckia Meisn.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Muehlenbeckia astonii Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 43: 257, t. 2 (1911)
Vernacular Name(s):
Shrubby pohuehue
 Description

Erect shrub up to 2 m. tall and in diam.; stems many, up to 1 cm. diam., much branched; branchlets slender, flexuous, divaricate and ± interlacing; canelike shoots often developed from near base. Lvs in fascicles of 2–3 on short branchlets, or distributed along elongate branch-lets; lamina 3–10 mm. diam., us. broad-obcordate, cuneately narrowed to short slender petiole, submembr., us. entire, occ. incised at apex. Fls minute, on very short peduncles in small axillary fascicles. ♂ not seen; ♀ ± 2.5 mm. diam.; tepals green to white or pinkish; staminodes us. 8; ovary bluntly trigonous, faces grooved; stigmas 3, fimbriate. Fr. 2–2.5 × 1·25 mm., dull, rugulose; tepals succulent or dry.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Fruiting: Dec.–Feb.

 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Nationally Endangered]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
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. [Nationally Endangered]
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. [Nationally Endangered]
Petrie, D. 1911 ("1910"): Descriptions of New Native Phanerogams. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 43: 254–257.