Threat category:
Threatened: Nationally Vulnerable?Regions:
Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, SouthlandDistribution:
South Island
Key Features
- An inconspicuous, sward-forming sedge with bright green leaves from 5-30 cm long, that are finely toothed only near their tips. The flowering stem is shorter than the leaves, with a slender spike of male flowers at the top and 2-3 short female spikes at the base. Female flowers form relatively large nuts (6-7 mm long) that are wrapped in reddish scales, but these may be buried deeply in the centre of each tuft and thus difficult to observe.
Distribution and Habitat
- South Island, but currently known from only six widely scattered sites in Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
- It occurs in dry, shaded high fertility habitats.
Threats
- Habitat modification and loss.
- Competition with exotic plants.
Management Opportunities
- Survey for new locations.
- Mark known sites.
- Protection of habitat – avoid afforestation.
- Weed control.
Monitoring Options
- Check existing populations annually.
- Report new locations to DOC, NZPCN.
Further Information and Support
- New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN). http://www.nzpcn.org.nz
- Weed management - DOC, Regional Councils.
- References:
- Dopson, S.R.; de Lange, P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D.; Courtney, S. & Molloy, J. (1999). The conservation requirements of New Zealand’s nationally threatened vascular plants. Threatened Species Occasional Publication 13. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
- Wilson, C.M. & Given, D.R. (1989). Threatened plants of New Zealand. DSIR Publishing, Wellington.
- Peter de Lange, Peter Heenan, David Norton, Jeremy Rolfe and John Sawyer (2010). Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. 472 pp.