Species

Carex egmontiana

Etymology

Carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
egmontiana: of Mount Egmont

Common Name(s)

Bastard Grass, Hook Sedge

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

Carex egmontiana (Hamlin) K.A.Ford

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

UNCEGM

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

Sedges

Synonyms

Uncinia egmontiana Hamlin, Uncinia sivestris var. squamata Hamlin

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Mt Egmont), South and Stewart Islands – apparently absent from Fiordland.

Habitat

Coastal to alpine. In coastal turf, tussock grassland, alpine mires, bogs and shrubland overlying peat.

Features

Densely caespitose, dull red or reddish-green (rarely green) plants, 250-400 mm tall. Culms c.300.0 × c. 0.5 mm, glabrous, subtrigonous or almost terete; basal sheaths straw-coloured or light brown. Leaves 4–6 per culm, <, = or > culms, 1.0-1.5 mm wide, moderately scabrid on margins and upper surface. Spikes 3.5-120.0 × c.3 mm, female flowers c.10–20, rather distant, internodes to 12 mm long at base of spike, c.3 mm long above. Glumes = or >, or rarely slightly < utricles, persistent, ovate-lanceolate, acute, membranous, red or green with pale hyaline margins. Utricles 4.5-6.0 × c.1.0 mm, subtrigonous, elliptic-lanceolate, striated or scarcely nerved, grey-green or reddish grey, contracted below to a stipe usually slightly > 1.5 mm long, narrowed above to a beak slightly < 1.5 mm long

Similar Taxa

From those other Carices with hooked utricles and persistent glumes, with the exceptions of C. silvestris (Hamlin) K.A.Ford and C. strictissima (Petrie) K.A.Ford, C. egmontiana can be distinguished from by having glabrous, semi-terete culms. Carex silvestris differs by its bright green rather than usually dull red or reddish green leaves, few-nerved, smaller utricles (< 4.5 mm cf. > 5 mm long) which are green rather than grey-green or reddish grey.

Flowering

October - November

Fruiting

November - August

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of established plants. Prefers a permanently moist, peaty soil but will grow in most substrates. Except in cool climates this species is best planted in semi-shade.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 88

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

 

  

Attribution

Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970). Fact sheet prepared by Peter J. de Lange 17 August 2006.

References and further reading

Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.

This page last updated on 26 Aug 2015