Scaevola gracilis
Common name
Scaevola
Synonyms
Scaevola porrecta A.C.Sm.
Family
Goodeniaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Chromosome number
2n = 48
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: RR, SO?
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL, TO
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: Kermadec Islands group (Raoul and Macauley Islands). Also present on the Ha”apai Group (Kao and Tofua) in the northern Tonga Group
Habitat
Coastal to lowland. A primary coloniser of bare rock, boulder field, sand dunes, talus slopes and cliff faces - also growing around active fumaroles.
Detailed description
Creeping, prostrate to suberect, semi-woody shrub forming patches up to 2 × 1 m. Branches widely spreading, clad in long silky hairs; branchlets slightly zigzag, hairs long, silky, ± appressed. Leaves on pilose, dark green to red-green flattened petioles up to 25 mm long, axils villous. Lamina 20-90 × 10-35 mm long, obliquely lanceolate-oblong to obovate, base narrowly cuneate, apex acute, upper ½ - 1/3 serrate-dentate; dark green to yellow green, sometimes reddish green or streaked with red, silky-hairy. Flowers usually solitary, subsessile, up to 25 mm across, faintly fragrant. Calyx cupular, indistinctly lobed. Corolla white with yellow throat; tube short, villous; lobes narrow-oblong, mucronate. Stamens < tube; style pilose; pollen-cup with fimbriate margins. Drupe white, fleshy, 10.0-10.5 × 8.0-10.5 mm, ovoid to subglobose. Seeds compressed, c.3 mm. long
Similar taxa
None.
Flowering
Throughout the year
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
Throughout the year
Propagation technique
Easily grown from semi-hardwood cuttings and fresh seed. Plants can be induced to layer. An attractive ground cover for a sunny, well drained soil. Excellent as in a hanging basket or tub. Cold sensitive.
Threats
A naturally uncommon species confined in the New Zealand Botanical Region to the Kermadec Islands, where it is locally abundant.
Etymology
gracilis: Slender
Attribution
Description modified from Allan (1961).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington.