Species

Poa hesperia

Etymology

Poa: meadow grass

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 hesperia Edgar

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

POAHES

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Grasses

Similar Taxa

Often confused with Poa colensoi as P. hesperia also forms small tussocks that retain the old leaf bases, but the difference is that these small tussocks are grouped closely together and form a cushion or mat to 1m in diameter. The lower midvein of the lemma of P. hesperia has a line of hairs as opposed to a line of bristles found in some forms of P. colensoi. The spikelets of P. hesperia have a shimmering silver appearance in the field.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 28

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

 


This page last updated on 7 Jan 2014