Aciphylla colensoi
Aciphylla colensoi, commonly known as giant speargrass, Spaniard, or taramea, is a plant endemic to New Zealand. It grows up to about 90 cm across and up to 1 m high when flowering, with sharp spines radiating from the center. The thick leaflets have rough margins and red-orange midribs. Yellow flowers appear on long, sturdy stems.
The plant occurs on both North and South Islands, from south of Mount Hikurangi to Canterbury, at elevations of 900–1,500 m in subalpine to low alpine areas. It likes moist spots among snow-tussock scrub, grassland and herbfields. It was described by Joseph Hooker in 1864, and the name honors William Colenso. Historically, rabbit browsing reduced its numbers, but as of 2023 it is not threatened.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:36 (CET).