Craspedia diversicolor Breitw. & K.A.Ford. (Gnaphalieae): Discovery and conservation management of one of New Zealand’s rarest and most endangered plants

Ilse Breitwieser

Allan Herbarium, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, P.O. Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, NEW ZEALAND

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3208-7000

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.53875/capitulum.02.2.02

ABSTRACT:  Craspedia diversicolor (Gnaphalieae), a recently described species from the South Island of New Zealand, is characterised by glomerules (pseudocephalia) having florets with a white corolla and dark red-purple anthers, and rosette leaves being variable from olive-green, grey to dark red, with a very thin, appressed to flocculent, lanate indumentum. The species was once more widespread in the Canterbury Plains but is now restricted to Wakanui Gully in Canterbury on privately owned agricultural land. Only two plants were found recently. After manually cross-pollinating the two plants with a plant we have held in cultivation, we managed to raise 80 seedlings. The majority of those were planted at a reserve where they have meanwhile flowered and produced seedlings. We hope we have saved Craspedia diversicolor from the immediate threat of extinction.

Keywords: Asteraceae, Compositae.