Gentianella concinna facts for kids
Gentianella concinna is a special flowering plant that grows only on the Auckland Islands in New Zealand. It's known as an endemic species, meaning it's found naturally nowhere else in the world!
Quick facts for kids Gentianella concinna |
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| Conservation status | |
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Invalid status (NZ TCS)
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Chionogentias concinna (Hook.f.) L.G.Adams |
What Gentianella concinna Looks Like
This plant is an annual plant, which means it completes its whole life cycle in just one year. It has many stems that branch out, growing up to about 12 centimeters (almost 5 inches) long.
Its leaves are thick and feel a bit like leather. They are shaped like a spoon or a narrow rectangle. The leaves at the bottom of the plant are larger, about 8 to 20 millimeters long and 3 to 7 millimeters wide. The leaves higher up on the stems are smaller.
The plant's flowers grow one by one where the upper leaves meet the stem. The main part of the flower, called the corolla, is usually red. Sometimes, it can be white with red or purple stripes. These flowers are about 8 to 12 millimeters long. The green parts that protect the flower bud, called calyces, are about one-third the length of the colorful corolla.
How Gentianella concinna Got Its Name
The first time this plant was officially described was in 1844. A famous botanist named Joseph Dalton Hooker gave it the name Gentiana concinna.
Later, in 1993, two other scientists, Ho and Liu, decided it belonged in a different group of plants. They moved it to the genus Gentianella. That's why its official name today is Gentianella concinna.
Protecting Gentianella concinna
This plant is considered "At Risk - Naturally Uncommon" in New Zealand. This classification comes from the New Zealand Threat Classification System. It means the plant is not in immediate danger, but it's naturally rare.
It was given this status in 2009, 2012, and again in 2018. The main reason is that it only grows on the Auckland Islands. Because it lives in such a small, specific area, it's naturally uncommon.
