Hieracium pollichiae
Common name
spotted hawkweed
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
HIEPOL
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Under Nothofagus and Kunzea forest and exotic conifer plantations (Webb et al 1988).
Detailed description
Perennial herb 15-30 cm tall. Leaves mostly basal, dull green with conspicuous purple streaks above, pale and often purplish below, 5-12 by 2-3.5 cm. Bright yellow flowers in clusters of 3-5.
Similar taxa
H. pollichiae is distinguished from all other Hireacium species in NZ by the purple streaked leaves.
Flowering
December, January, February, March
Flower colours
Yellow
Fruiting
December - March
Life cycle
Perennial.
Year naturalised
1988
Origin
Europe
Reason for introduction
Accidental
Etymology
hieracium: From the Greek hierax ‘hawk’. Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - AD 79) believed the plant to be eaten by hawks to improve their eyesight.
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.
References and further reading
Johnson, A. T. and Smith, H. A (1986). Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd: Buckenhill, UK.