Mazus novaezeelandiae subsp. impolitus f. hirtus
Common name
dwarf musk, swamp musk
Synonyms
None.
Family
Mazaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Chromosome number
2n = 38
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 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: Sp
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
Distribution
Endemic. North Island. Formerly recorded from nine sites from western Northland (Te Paki, Kaitaia south to the Hokianga Harbour), the Waikato (near Mercer) and in scattered sites near East Cape. It is now only known with certainty from three sites. One at Awanui near Kaitaia, at Hautai Beach, and Waipapa Stream near East Cape.
Habitat
Lowland swamp forest, and sparsely-vegetated coastal wetlands. Preferring sites free from tall, dense sedges and grasses, often in locations seasonally flooded with water or heavily browsed by cattle (so as to exclude taller vegetation).
Detailed description
Perennial, creeping herb, forming compact leafy patches. Leaves 10-45 x 4-16 mm, dull, dark green or red-green, elliptic, narrow-elliptic, or narrow-obovate, thin, margin undulate, distinctly hairy, with a prominent brown marginal band. Inflorescences lateral on short branches, 2-8-flowered. Flowers initially pale lilac or lavender fading to white after anthesis. Peduncle 20-60 mm, pale green to brown-green, glabrous. Pedicel 4.5-40 mm, pale green to green. Calyx 3-5 mm, campanulate, green to brown-green, usually hairy, teeth 1.5-2.5 mm, narrow-triangular. Corolla 7-14.5 x 7.8-14 mm, prominently lobed. Tube 3-5 mm, lower lobes 2-6 x 3-5 mm, rounded, spreading or overlapping, middle lobe smaller than lateral lobes. Palate comprising 2 longitudinal ridged. Upper lobes 1-6.5 mm, narrow-triangular, apex subacute. Fruit 6-6.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm, ovoid, green, persistent. Seeds 0.4-0.8 x 0.4-0.5 mm, brown to purple-brown, surface reticulate.
Similar taxa
Because of its flower colour and hairy leaves Mazus pumilio is similar but this species has blue or lilac flowers and a finely toothed leaf margin. This predominantly Australian species is known in New Zealand from only one site in Northland, but is now sold by many garden centres as M. novazeelandiae. It differs from M. novaezeelandiae subsp. novaezeelandiae, and subsp. impolitus by its consistently hairy leaf margins.
Flowering
October - May
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
January - July
Propagation technique
Easily grown from division of whole plants. Fresh seed germinates easily. Does best when grown on a permanently damp or poorly drained soil in partial shade. It makes an excellent ground cover but is intolerant of competition from taller weeds such as grasses.
Threats
Very susceptible to disturbance, habitat clearance and modification including stock trampling. Although herbarium specimens indicate it was once widespread through northern New Zealand, at present it is known from just two locations, one near Kaitaia and one near East Cape. At both sites it is threatened by competition from taller, faster growing weeds. Only one site, that near Kaitaia, is protected, and here ironically it is now seriously threatened because the forest remnant in which it was found had to be fenced as a condition of its formal protection. Fencing excluded stock (which in the long term would have destroyed the forest), allowing taller, aggressive weeds to take over the open, damp ground in which swamp musk had been common.
Etymology
mazus: Tear (after protuberance on throat of flower)
novaezeelandiae: Of New Zealand
impolitus: Unpolished, matt
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 October 2003. Description adapted from Heenan (1998).
References and further reading
Heenan, P. B. 1998: Mazus novaezeelandiae (Scrophulariaceae): taxonomy, distribution, habitats, and conservation. New Zealand Journal of Botany 36(3): 407-416.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Mazus novaezeelandiae subsp. impolitus f. hirtus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/mazus-novaezeelandiae-subsp-impolitus-f-hirtus/ (Date website was queried)