Botany Curator Leon Perrie and Science Researcher Lara Shepherd are working with David Glenny from the Bioeconomy Science Institute to investigate the relationships among Aciphylla, also known as taramea, speargrasses, or Spaniards. Here they introduce a newly described species. It’s relatively easy to suspect something might be a different species,Read more
Speargrasses are some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most distinctive plants and an iconic feature of many of Te Waipounamu’s non-forested habitats, especially when flowering. Te Papa Research Scientist Lara Shepherd and Botany Curator Leon Perrie analysed DNA from speargrasses to examine how genetic diversity is partitioned across Te Waipounamu SouthRead more
Botany curator Leon Perrie and researcher Lara Shepherd recently visited the Allan Herbarium in Lincoln to examine its speargrass/taramea (Aciphylla) specimens as part of their ongoing taxonomic research into these plants. The herbarium’s historical specimens offer valuable insights that enhance our recent collections, particularly around morphological diversity and species distributions.Read more
The large-leaved Aciphylla speargrasses or taramea are difficult plants to collect. Their rigid leaves are tipped in a sharp point and the bracts on their flower spikes are similarly ferocious. These defences are thought to have evolved to avoid browsing by moa, but they also work against botanists! Consequently, speargrasses are under‑represented in plant collections (herbaria). Te Papa Research Scientist Lara Shepherd and Botany Curator Leon Perrie describe how they approached sampling speargrasses on their recent collecting trip.Read more
Why is a specimen of New Zealand’s indigenous carrot on display at Te Papa for the next few months? Curator of Botany Leon Perrie explains. Among the most significant plant specimens in our care are collections made in 1769-1770 from Aotearoa New Zealand by botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander.Read more
