Two new species of Dianella (Hemerocallidaceae) from New Zealand

Abstract

Dianella haematica and D. latissima are new species described from northern New Zealand, being currently known from a number of mainland sites as well as offshore islands, including Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island. These two species are segregated from D. nigra and differ from that species by growth habit, leaf, and flower characters. D. haematica is distinguished from D. nigra by its very short rhizomes and densely caespitose habit, the leaves being longer, wider, and olive or dark green, the leaf sheaths usually flushed red-brown to red-maroon, the perianth patent to only slightly recurved, and the struma and style shorter. D. latissima is distinguished from D. nigra by its robust and larger growth habit, the leaves being longer, wider, harshly scabrid, and usually uniformly green, the leaf sheaths pale green to light yellow-green, and the struma oblong. Dianella haematica is considered to be a threatened species, and using the New Zealand Threat Classification System has a conservation status of Chronically Threatened/Serious Decline. For D. latissima there is insufficient information to make a formal assessment and, therefore, we consider it to be Data Deficient, requiring further survey to determine its distribution, abundance, and threats. © 2007 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.