Species
Rytidosperma buchananii
Etymology
Rytidosperma: wrinkled seed
buchananii: Named after John Buchanan (13 October 1819-1898) who was a New Zealand botanist and scientific artist and fellow of the Linnean Society.
Current Conservation Status
2018 - At Risk - Declining
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
2012 - Not Threatened
2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened
Authority
Rytidosperma buchananii (Hook.f.) Connor et Edgar
Family
Poaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
RYTBUC
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
Synonyms
Danthonia buchananii Hook.f., Notodanthonia buchananii (Hook.f.) Zotov, Danthonia semiannularis var. breviseta Hook.f.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, mainly in the central and southern mountains, but also present on the southern side of the Kawhia Harbour, and adjacent Awaroa Valley. Coastal in the eastern Wairarapa. South Island, throughout the mountains.
Habitat
Usually in rocky places or on open alluvial gravels
Similar Taxa
The combination of short lemma lobes relative to the lemma, the very long palea which almost reaches the tip of the lemma lobes and is c. = the length of the upper lemma hairs, and the sparse rows of hairs (hairs on the callus can be thick, and the callus, lower and upper lemma hairs all overlap) distinguishes this species from all other species of Rytidosperma. In the field its robust dark coloured spikes are most similar to R. thomsonii, but in that species the awn is very short hardly protrudes past the glumes (+ other differences)
Threats
Not Threatened
Chromosome No.
2n= 24
Endemic Taxon
Yes
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
This page last updated on 17 Jan 2014