Species

Carex lectissima

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

Fine-leaved 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 lectissima K.A.Ford

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

UNCFIL

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 filiformis Boott; Uncinia rupestris Raoul var. rupestris Kük.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North, South and Stewart Islands from Te Moehau south.

Habitat

Montane to subalpine (coastal in Fiordland). Usually in cloud forest where it grows on moss and liverwort covered ground, on peat and especially around soak holes, semi-permanent pools and on rotting logs.

Features

Slender, tufted, bright green plants. Culms 30-300 mm long, < 0.5 mm wide, glabrous; basal bracts red-brown with paler striations. Leaves 4-7 per culm, < mature culms, us. < 0.5 mm wide, deeply channelled or flat with a distinct groove, bright green, glabrous at the base, scabrid towards the long-tapering, finely acute apex. Spike 5-30 × 2–3 mm, female flowers c.10 mostly distant, internodes 2-3 mm long (up to 4 mm long at base of spike). Glumes = or < utricles, deciduous, lanceolate, acute, membranous with green midrib. Utricles 3.5-5.0 × c.1 mm, trigonous, light greenish brown, lateral nerves prominent, somewhat spreading when ripe, stipe and beak c.1 mm long

Similar Taxa

Carex lectissima is distinguished from all other New Zealand Carex (with hooked utricles) by the light-coloured striations on the red-brown basal sheaths, and from C. obtusifolia (Heenan) K.A.Ford by the trigonous upper part of the leaf and by the acute rather than obtuse leaf apex. It could be confused with Carex minor (Kük.) K.A.Ford from which it differs by its much narrower, filiform leaves.

Flowering

October - November

Fruiting

November - March

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of established plants - though these may take a while to settle. Prefers moist soil in a a semi-shaded site. This sedge must never be allowed to dry out.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 88

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not Commercially Available

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