Galium antarcticum
Common name
Antarctic bedstraw
Synonyms
None
Family
Rubiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Evaluated
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Macquarie Island, also on the Falklands, South Georgia, Crozet, and Kerguelen Islands, and in southern South America (Chile, western Argentia)
Habitat
A species of damp seepages and low lying turf, often around lake, tarn and stream margins.
Detailed description
Perennial herb up to 50 mm tall, main steams weak, prostrate, rooting at nodes, leafless; young stems flaccidly erect, sparsely branched, rather leafy, glabrous. Leaves and stipules similar, 4-whorled, 3-4.5 mm long, green tinged with purple, obovate to spathulate, obtuse, minutely notched, thick, somewhat fleshy, glabrous. Flowers solitary in upper axils; pedicels 0.8-1.2 mm long; calyx absent; corolla pinkish-buff; tube 0.3 mm long, lobes 3-4, 1.3 mm long. Stamens 3-4, 0.5-0.7 mm long. Styles 2, free to base, 0.5-0.6 mm long, yellowish; stigmas capitate. Ovary 0.8 mm, dark green, glabrous. Fruits dry, splitting into 2 mericarps, dark brown.
Similar taxa
Galium antarcticum bears little resemblance to any of the New Zealand species.
Flowering
January
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
February
Propagation technique
Unknown.
Threats
This is a Macquarie Island endemic and occurs in the New Zealand Botanical Region but it is not encompassed by the New Zealand threat classification process as Macquarie is under the management of Australia.
Cats, rats, mice and rabbits introduced by sealers in the early 1800s posed a significant threat to sepcies endemic to Maquarie Island an when cats were initially erdaticated nearly a century later there was an explosion rabbits numbers. Further efforts were made to remove rodent perst by the Australian Government and in 2014 Macqurie was declared pest free.
Galium antarcticum had been presumed extinct on Macquarie Island until it was rediscovered in 2013.
Etymology
galium: From the Greek galo ‘milk’, the leaves of Galium verum being used in the past to curdle milk
antarcticum: Antarctic
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Cultural Use/Importance
This species is included in the NZPCN fact sheets because Macquarie Island is part of the New Zealand Botanical Region. However, Macquarie Island is part of the Australian Territory, and so its administration and threat assessment lies with that nation.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Galium antarcticum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/galium-antarcticum/ (Date website was queried)