Aciphylla squarrosa

Aciphylla squarrosa, or common speargrass, is a species of Aciphylla endemic to New Zealand.

Description

It is a woody perennial herb that forms dense and robust tussocks with a central flowering stem. The basal leaves are bluish-grey, and divide three times to form long and pointed spikes. They are hairless, and have a finely toothed margin.
It can grow up to tall.
It produces green or yellow symmetric flowers from October to December, and dry fruits from November to March.

Range

It can be found on the North and South Islands from Mount Hikurangi to the Kaikoura Ranges, as well as some offshore islands like Mana Island. It grows in habitats ranging from coastal to montane.

Ecology

Aciphylla squarrosa is the host plant for Lyperobius huttoni, the Speargrass Weevil.

Etymology

Squarrosa comes from the Latin for 'rough'.

Taxonomy

Aciphylla squarrosa contains the following varieties:Aciphylla squarrosa var. squarrosaAciphylla squarrosa var. ''flaccida''

Conservation status

In 2023, it was classified as At Risk – Declining.