Pachystegia hesperia
Common name
rock daisy
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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 | Data Deficient
Brief description
Pachystegia hesperia is “distinguished by its compact and low statured growth habit, obovate to elliptic-oblong leaves with the adaxial surface reticulate with distinctive primary and secondary veins, a short peduncle and narrow capitula, smaller and fewer ray petals and fewer disc florets” (Heenan & Molloy 2022).
Distribution
“A western and inland distribution comprising Lowry Peaks Range, Amuri Range, and southern parts of Inland and Seaward Kaikōura Ranges” (Heenan & Molloy 2022).
Habitat
Rock outcrops
Similar taxa
Most similar to Pachystegia insignis, which is the most widespread species in the genus.
Etymology
pachystegia: Thick covering
hesperia: From the Greek hesperos ‘evening’ (i.e. western), referring to its westerly distribution
Previously known by the tagnames Pachystegia “B” or Pachystegia “Lowry” (Heenan & Molloy 2022).
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (1 October 2022). Brief description and Distribution sections copied from Heenan & Molloy (2022).
References and further reading
Heenan P.B. and Molloy B.P.J. 2022: Recognition of Pachystegia hesperia sp. nov. and notes on P. insignis, P. minor and P. rufa (Asteraceae: Astereae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 60. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2022.2107939