| Aciphylla dieffenbachii | |
|---|---|
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| Aciphylla dieffenbachii in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Aciphylla |
| Species: | A. dieffenbachii |
| Binomial name | |
| Aciphylla dieffenbachii (F.Muell) Kirk | |
| Synonyms | |
Aciphylla dieffenbachii, also called soft speargrass or Dieffenbach's speargrass, is a species of soft speargrass endemic to the Chatham Islands.
Description
It is a small perennial with clusters of soft and drooping leaves that divide into blue-green leaflets up to 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) long. It produces a striking upright flowering stem up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall. From November to February it produces yellow flowers, and from January to June it produces a golden-yellow fruit that turns a light brown-grey when mature. It has a robust and deep taproot. If damaged, it will bleed a sticky white latex fluid.
Distribution
It is endemic to the Chatham Islands. Within the Chathams, it has been found on the Chatham, Pitt, Mangere, Little Mangere, and South East (Rangatira) islands, along with some of the Murumuru stacks and islets. It is found solely in coastal areas.
It has also been cultivated, and can be found in gardens on mainland New Zealand.
Taxonomy
Aciphylla dieffenbachii is named after Johann Karl Ernest Dieffenbach, a German physician, geologist and naturalist. Dieffenbach worked for the New Zealand Company and travelled widely across the country.
Conservation status
As of 2023, it was classified as At Risk – Declining.
References
- "Aciphylla dieffenbachii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Aciphylla dieffenbachii - The University of Auckland". www.nzplants.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ "Aciphylla dieffenbachii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- ^ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Aciphylla dieffenbachii". www.nzflora.info. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
- Eadie, Fiona (2014). 100 best native plants for New Zealand gardens (Revised ed.). Random House New Zealand. pp. 238–240. ISBN 9781775536512.
External links
Media related to Aciphylla dieffenbachii at Wikimedia Commons
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Aciphylla dieffenbachii |
|
| Gingidium dieffenbachii | |
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