Carmichaelia muritai explained

Carmichaelia muritai, common name coastal tree broom,[1] is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in the South Island of New Zealand.[2]

Distribution and habitat

It is found in coastal forest at Clifford Bay in Marlborough.

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1985 by Andrew Purdie as Chordospartium muritai. In 1998, Peter Heenan assigned it to the genus, Carmichaelia.[2]

Conservation status

In 1998 it was declared "critically endangered" under IUCN2.3 (with just 12 plants existing in the wild), and in 2018, it was declared "Nationally endangered" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

There are just two small natural populations known. One population is seriously threatened by goats, drought, erosion and weeds, while the other is threatened by fire. Every part of C. muritai is highly sought by browsing animals (particularly, goats, possums, hares and rabbits).[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carmichaelia muritai New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. nzpcn.org.nz. 2019-12-07.
  2. Web site: Carmichaelia muritai (A.W.Purdie) Heenan Plants of the World Online Kew Science. Plants of the World Online. 2019-12-07.