Aims for 2016 on NatureWatch: Rare Vascular Plants of Home

I enjoy having things to work towards so I decided that trying to find and photograph all of the rare plants of home would keep me out of mischief :)

Using the NZ Plant Conservation Network I put together a list of rare plants and then asked one Peter, of the moderators, if he could kindly check the list for me and let me know if I had missed any obvious plants or had any there that shouldn't be there. He kindly offered to do a full list for me and after making sure that it was not an imposition, I agreed and he did the list. When I received it I split it into the following. (the numbers are how many how many I had already found / how many in the category )

2 Taxonomically Determinate Data Deficient vascular plants of home (1/2)
17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (0/17)
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (0/8)
14 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Vulnerable vascular plants of home (1/14)
28 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Declining vascular plants of home (7/28)
6 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Relict vascular plants of home (0/6)
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (3/53)
2 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Vagrant vascular plants of home (0/2)
5 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Coloniser vascular plants of home (0/5)
3 Taxonomically indeterminate Data Deficient vascular plants of home (1/3)
1 Taxonomically indeterminate Nationally Critical vascular plant of home (0/1)
5 Taxonomically indeterminate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (2/5)

After seeing these lists I was shocked to see that I already had seen a Nationally Vulnerable plant, and further more, it was in Henderson Bay. Looking at the photos taken that day I realised that the Drosera Pymaea was seen behind my whare!

The other thing that surprised me where some of the at risk / declining plants that I had already seen that I did not realise were at risk becuase I see them everywhere! These are pingao and sand coprosma which grow all over Henderson Bay as well as the other beaches up this way, and the Kunzea linearis and Leptospermum scoparium var. incanum which grow all over the place at Henderson Bay.

So I have alot of plants to find and as I do not know them, it will be a pleasant surprise when I get one :D

Posted on January 22, 2016 09:44 AM by tangatawhenua tangatawhenua

Observations

Photos / Sounds

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

Long upright branchlets growing in situ with prickly mingimingi, Pomaderris edgerleyi and Cassinia amoena

Photos / Sounds

What

Kohuhu Tangihua (Pittosporum serpentinum)

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

This is the most beautiful plant of Aotearoa / New Zealand but is nationally critical. Sadly it has been driven out of it's home by possums who view it as a delicacy so it has retreated to the side of steep cliffs where it is hanging on precariously to life.

If this was a cute feathered bird with quirky habits then people would be lining up to save it, like they do for the kiwi, takahe and other other rare endemic birds of NZ.

It should be the national plant of New Zealand as it is a symphony of colour with the yellow, green, white and golden leaves highlighted by the splashes of red flowers which I see as symbolic of all the nationalities that call New Zealand home.

While the Maori for this is Kohuhu tangihua (Kohuhu = pittosporum and tangihua=serpentine) it is interesting to note that "tangi" is in the name - maybe this is because as well as being a serpentine pittosporum it is also crying out for survival.

Photos / Sounds

What

Small Bearded Greenhood (Pterostylis tasmanica)

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

I think this is a greenhood orchid that is not open so if the leaves (in the second photo) are not unique then I know we will not be able to get a species ID unless there is only one greenhood orchid lurking up there on the surville sliffs

Photos / Sounds

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

More flowers on this lovely little plant.

Photos / Sounds

What

Matthews's Spiral Sun Orchid (Thelymitra matthewsii)

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

Although this is not in flower it was great to see it. The first 2 photos are the same plant while the 3 photo is of an old one and the 4th photo is another plant in the cork screw phase.

Photos / Sounds

What

Koromiko Kitea Tahi (Veronica punicea)

Observer

tangatawhenua

Description

Growing around north cape

Comments

I have been discovering lots of interesting things in the last few months but finding these of course are not easy, but here is an update to the counts. If the category is not listed it is because there is no change to the original count.

17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (2/17)
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (1/8)
6 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Relict vascular plants of home (2/6)
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (4/53)
5 Taxonomically indeterminate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (3/5)

Posted by tangatawhenua over 7 years ago

After roaming around North Cape, the list of finds have improved as follows:

17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (4/17)
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (2/8)
14 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Vulnerable vascular plants of home (2/14)
28 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Declining vascular plants of home (9/28)
6 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Relict vascular plants of home (3/6)
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (14/53)
5 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Coloniser vascular plants of home (1/5)

Getting there slowly but surely and really lucky to have the habitats of some of these rare plants in my backyard :)

I have updated the obs to show some of the stunning recent finds :)

Posted by tangatawhenua over 7 years ago

Making steady progress of photographing these - here is an update to the counts. If the category is not listed it is because there is no change to the original count or the last count above.

2 Taxonomically Determinate Data Deficient vascular plants of home (2/2)
17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (7/17)
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (3/8)
28 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Declining vascular plants of home (10/28)
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (18/53)
5 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Coloniser vascular plants of home (4/5)
5 Taxonomically indeterminate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (3/5)

I would also like to take this time to acknowlege @pjd1 for all the wonderful support, by giving me the lists in the first place, and amazing encouragement, by not only telling me where to find some of these, but also taking the time to point them out to me when we have been roaming around home. He mihi aroha tenei ki a koe i taku whanaunga :)

Posted by tangatawhenua over 7 years ago

Making steady progress of photographing these - here is an update to the counts. If the category is not listed it is because there is no change to the original count or the last count above.

17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (8/17)
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (4/8)
28 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Declining vascular plants of home (12/28)
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (19/53)

Posted by tangatawhenua about 7 years ago

As I have spent more time away from home than acutally being here in the last year, I have not made much progess of this list, but I am posting the whole list with counts to see where I am up to. An * next to the link indicates a change of count from when I first started and the "+ number" is how many I have found from when I first made this post.

2 Taxonomically Determinate Data Deficient vascular plants of home (2/2) * +1
17 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Critical vascular plants of home (8/17) * +8
8 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Endangered vascular plants of home (5/8) * +5
14 Taxonomically Determinate Nationally Vulnerable vascular plants of home (2/14) * +1
28 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Declining vascular plants of home (12/28) * +5
6 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Relict vascular plants of home (3/6) * +3
53 Taxonomically Determinate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (19/53) * +16
2 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Vagrant vascular plants of home (0/2)
5 Taxonomically Determinate Non-Resident Native / Coloniser vascular plants of home (4/5) * +4
3 Taxonomically indeterminate Data Deficient vascular plants of home (1/3)
1 Taxonomically indeterminate Nationally Critical vascular plant of home (0/1)
5 Taxonomically indeterminate At Risk / Naturally Uncommon vascular plants of home (3/5) * +1

Nice, now I can see easily what I have to find, work out their habitat and therefore where they could be lurking up here then go and find them!

Posted by tangatawhenua over 5 years ago

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