Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Tribe: Sanguisorbeae
Subtribe: Sanguisorbinae
Genus: Acaena
Species: A. anserinifolia
Binomial name: Acaena anserinifolia
Synonyms: Acaena pusilla var. pusilla, A. pusilla var. suprasericascens A. viridior.
Common names: Bidibid, Cockle button, Hutiwai, Piripiri, pirikahu, piriwhetau, huruhuru-o-hine-nui-te-pō, kaiā, kaikaiārure, kaiārurerure, kaikaiā.
Acaena anserinifolia is found from lowland to lower subalpine forest margins and in shrublands throughout the North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. It is naturalised on the Auckland and Campbell Islands. It flowers from October to January and fruits from December to April.
It was used medicinally by the South Island Māori. The leaves were used to make an infusion which was taken as a diuretic (O'Carroll 1884). This infusion was applied to open wounds and rubbed on contusions.
For more details visit: http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_details.aspx?ID=1436
Photographed North Egmont late January.
Photographed January Arawata Road, South Taranaki, next to Mt Egmont/Taranaki Reserve.
Photographed at Otari-Wilton's Bush reserve, Wellington
Flower
The fruit with the visible spear like hooks.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
