New Zealand’s rare woollyhead rises again with 250 new seedlings

On the dry plains of Central Otago, a small native herb has been given another chance to survive in the wild. Craspedia argentea, a woollyhead found only around the Pisa Flats, had dwindled to just two known plants. By then, even the ordinary business of pollination had become difficult. There were simply too few plants left for the population to function as it once had. Conservationists stepped in, collecting the tiny amount of seed they could find and beginning a careful programme of hand-pollination and propagation. According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), two years of work at Dunedin Botanic Garden have now produced hundreds of young plants. About 250 seedlings are being returned to Mahaka Katia Scientific Reserve, where their next challenge will be surviving without the protection of a nursery.New Zealand’s rare dryland plant was running out of chances to surviveCraspedia argentea belongs to the dryland flora of Central Otago, a region known for its sparse vegetation, harsh conditions and wide open landscapes. The plant is endemic to the Pisa Flats, meaning its natural range is confined to this particular part of New Zealand. That makes the loss of a local population especially s...