Myoporum rapense subsp. kermadecense
Common name
Kermadec ngaio
Synonyms
Myoporum kermadecense Sykes
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Chromosome number
2n = 108
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, IE
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, IE
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Spreading small tree bearing glossy dark green narrow toothed leaves inhabiting the Kermadec Islands. New growth very glossy, dark and sticky. Leaves to 25mm wide, tapering to a point. Flowers white with purple spots, at base of leaves. Fruit pink, on a stalk.
Distribution
Endemic. Kermadec Islands (the Meyers, Chanter, Raoul, Macauley, Cheeseman and Hazard Islands).
Habitat
A common and often dominant species of rock stacks and coastal scrub. Sometimes forming a dense forest. On the Raoul Island it is a common component of coastal forest both as a canopy dominant and as an understorey species.
Detailed description
Low spreading shrub to slender tree up to c.13 m high, habit dense or open with foliage clustered towards ends of shoots, glabrous except for the corolla and style, bark rough and furrowed in older plants. Shoots purple when young, with viscid, purple-black, rarely green, buds. Leaves on reproductive shoots, subsessile or with petiole to 10 mm long. Lamina (30-)35-80(-100) x (7-) l0-25(-40) mm, usually narrow elliptic or elliptic lanceolate, sometimes in exposed situations elliptic or elliptic-obovate, submembranous to rather succulent, glands scarcely visible, margins serrulate (except towards base), sometimes obscurely so, very rarely entire, base attenuate, apex short to long acuminate. Leaves on juvenile and vegetative shoots often larger (to 170 x 50 mm), more strongly toothed and juvenile ones may have evident glands. Flowers in fascicles of 2-5, sometimes solitary. Pedicels 10-14 mm long at anthesis, to 18 mm long in fruit, slender, angular. Calyx lobed to near base; segments 5, 2.7-3.5 mm long in flower, narrow lanceolate to narrow triangular, occasionally ovate-lanceolate, entire, glabrous or less commonly ciliolate, acuminate, accrescent and 3-5 mm long in fruit. Corolla 11-15 mm diameter, (4)-5-lobed, white with purple dots (very rarely dots absent), bearded inside; corolla tube 4-7 mm long, lobes 4-7 x 3-5 mm, oblong or elliptic-oblong, pellucid glands present; apex rounded. Filaments 5-8 mm long; anthers exserted, 1.3-1.5mm long, reniform. Style 4-5(-6) mm long, hairy. Fruit 5-8-(10) long, broad oblong to ovoid, mauve, occasionally white, smooth.
Similar taxa
Differs from M. laetum by the narrow elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate rather than narrow to broad elliptic or obovate leaves that are 10-25 mm wide (cf. 15-45 mm in M. laetum); short to long acuminate rather than acute, mucronate, or shortly acuminate leaf apices; inconspicuous, small lamina glands; narrow triangular to narrow lanceolate, rather than lanceolate to ovate calyx lobes and broad oblong to ovoid rather than broad oblong, narrow to broadly ovoid fruits.
Flowering
Present throughout the year
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Fruiting
Present throughout the year
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by semi-hardwood cuttings. Very fast growing and excellent for a dry, sunny situation or as a hedge plant. Cold sensitive. Will hybridise with M. laetum or M. aff. insulare.
Threats
Not threatened. Listed because it is a locally endemic naturally confined to the large islands of the Kermadec Islands group
Etymology
myoporum: Shut pore
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (20 August 2009). Description from Sykes (1987) but see also Chinnock (2007).
References and further reading
Sykes, W. R. 1987: Kermadec ngaio (Myoporum, Myoporaceae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 25: 595-601.
Chinnock RJ 2007. Eremophila and allied genera. New South Wales, Rosenberg Publishing.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Myoporum rapense subsp. kermadecense Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myoporum-rapense-subsp-kermadecense/ (Date website was queried)