Species

Carex healyi

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

Harsh-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 healyi K.A.Ford

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

UNCSCA

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 leptostachya Raoul var. scabra (Boott) Hook.f.; Uncinia disticha Col.; Uncinia scabra Boott

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand. North Island from Great Barrier Island and the Kaipara south (most common in the east). South Island (Nelson and thence east of the main divide to about Dunedin).

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine. Usually in dense lowland to montane forest. However, also locally common in dune forest and scrub in the northern part of its range.

Features

Rather harsh-textured, rigidly erect, densely tufted, yellow-green, olive-green or dull bluish green plants. Culms 250-900 mm tall, usually < 1 mm diameter, erect, strongly scabrid towards the top; basal sheaths dark brown. Leaves 3-6 per culm, > or = culm, 2-3 mm wide, narrow-linear, moderately scabrid on margins and on upper surface along midvein, tips subacute in shorter leaves, more tapering and filiform in longer leaves. Spikes 30-100 long, bracteate, lowermost glume often broad and leaf-like, much > spike, or the midrib greatly extended forming a long filiform awn, female flowers c.10, lax, internodes to 8 mm long at base of spike, 2-4 mm long above. Glumes < or = utricles, persistent, obtuse or lowermost subacute, membranous, very light brown, the midrib of lower glumes often scabrid. Utricles 4.5-6.0 × c.1 mm, plano-convex or subtrigonous, grey-brown, scabrid on both surfaces towards the apex, narrowed above to a beak 1 mm long and scarcely narrowed below to a greenish stipe 1.0-1.5 mm long

Flowering

October - November

Fruiting

November - March (- June)

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of established plants. Can be grown in a wide variety of soils from free-draining to permanently moist - but resents water logging. Best in semi-shade.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 88

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available.



Attribution

Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (31 September 2006). Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970).

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