Aciphylla squarrosa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Aciphylla squarrosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Aciphylla |
| Species: | A. squarrosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Aciphylla squarrosa | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Aciphylla squarrosa, or common speargrass, is a species of Aciphylla endemic to New Zealand.[2][3]
It is a woody perennial herb that forms dense and robust tussocks with a central flowering stem.[4][3] The basal leaves are bluish-grey, and divide three times to form long and pointed spikes.[4] They are hairless, and have a finely toothed margin.
It can grow up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall.[3]
It produces 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) green or yellow symmetric flowers from October to December, and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) dry fruits from November to March.[3][4]
Range
It can be found on the North and South Islands [3] from Mount Hikurangi to the Kaikoura Ranges,[3] as well as some offshore islands like Mana Island.[2] It grows in habitats ranging from coastal to montane.[3]
Ecology
Aciphylla squarrosa is the host plant for Lyperobius huttoni, the Speargrass Weevil.
Etymology
Squarrosa comes from the Latin for 'rough'.[3]
