The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Poa anceps

Etymology

Poa: meadow grass
anceps: From the Latin an- 'two' and caputus 'head', meaning two-faced or two-edged

Common Name(s)

Broad-leaved poa

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Poa anceps G.Forst.

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

POAANC

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

Poa anceps G.Forst. var. anceps; Poa anceps var. elata Hook.f.; Poa anceps var. foliosa Hook.f.; Poa anceps var. densiflora Hook.f.; Poa anceps var. condensata Cheeseman; Poa affinis var. multiflora Hook.f.; Poa affinis var. agrostoidea Hook.f., Poa anceps G.Forst. subsp. anceps

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: Three Kings, North and South Islands (north and western coasts as far south as George Sound, on Banks Peninsula in the east).

Habitat

Coastal, lowland to subalpine. On coastal and inland cliffs, on rock falls, in open forest, scrub and grassland

Features

Very variable, coarse, light green, greenish brown to bluish green perennial tufted grass to 1 m, with stiff erect leaves < stems, or often scrambling and trailing to 2 m, with hanging leaves and stems drooping from thick stolons, rooting at nodes below tufts; branching extravaginal, with up to three, short, glabrous, obtuse, bract-like sheaths at base; leaf-blades persistent. Leaf-sheath light green to light brown, coriaceous, folded and strongly keeled, lateral ribs conspicuous, smooth or slightly scabrid above, rarely minutely scabrid throughout. Ligule 0.5 mm, a truncate usually long-ciliate rim, scabrid abaxially. Leaf-blade coriaceous, folded to flat, Leaf-blade 100-400 × 1.0-6.5 mm, abaxially with prominent, thickened midrib, and numerous, distinct lateral ribs, smooth apart from prickle-teeth near tip; upper surface smooth, or scabrid on ribs, rarely papillose-scabrid, occasionally with fringe of stiff short hairs above ligule; margins smooth or scabrid, thickened, tip acuminate or abruptly acute, often pungent, scabrid. Culm 150-700 mm, often not far exserted beyond uppermost leaf-sheath, internodes glabrous. Panicle 100-280 mm, usually open with numerous spreading branches, sometimes contracted, branches whorled, very slender; rachis and primary branches often smooth, secondary branchlets finely, sharply, densely or sparsely scabrid or smooth, often spikelet-bearing ± throughout. Spikelets numerous, 3.0-7.5 mm, 2-8-flowered light green. Glumes subequal, narrow- to elliptic-lanceolate, acute to subobtuse, occasionally smooth throughout, or upper 2/3 scabrid; lower slightly shorter, lower glume 2.0-4.5 mm, 3-nerved, upper 2.5-5.0 mm, 3-nerved. Lemma 3.0-4.5 mm, 5-7-nerved, elliptic-oblong, acute to subobtuse, internerves finely scaberulous throughout, occasionally only minutely papillose, bearing short crinkled hairs on lower ½ of midnerve and near base of outer lateral nerves; margins minutely scabrid. Palea 2.5-4.0 mm, keels finely scabrid, interkeel and flanks smooth or minutely scabrid. Callus with thick tuft of soft crinkled hairs. Rachilla c.0.5 mm, smooth or minutely, sparsely scabrid; prolongation c. twice as long. Lodicules c.0.5 mm, occasionally hair-tipped. Anthers 1.5-2.5 mm. Seed c.2.0 × 0.5 mm.

Similar Taxa

The Kermadec Islands Poa polyphylla Hack. is closely related (see under that species). Poa anceps is most likely to be confused with Poa xenica (see under that species) and Poa chathamica (see under that species). However, as these species grow in habitats where Poa anceps is not found confusion in the field is unlikely.

Flowering

September - December

Fruiting

November - May

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. An excellent grass that deserves to be more widely cultivated. Poa anceps is a very variable species and would repay some critical horticultural selection. It is best grown in full sun, and is excellent on banks where it can trail down slope. This species is tolerant of a wide range of conditions.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 28

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014