The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Carex lambertiana

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

Forest 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 lambertiana Boott

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CARLAM

Structural Class

Sedges

Synonyms

Carex dissita Boott var. lambertiana (Boott) Cheeseman

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North and South Islands. In the North Island abundant from Te Paki to about the southern Waikato, otherwise uncommon. In the South Island known from Nelson, Marlborough and northern Canterbury.

Habitat

Coastal to montane. Usually in relatively open but shaded sites within tall forest or in riparian forest along riversides and on river terraces. Sometimes establishes in parks within urban areas

Features

Tufts robust, leafy, 0.6–1.0 m tall. Culms 1–2 mm diameter, trigonous, smooth; basal sheaths dark grey-brown or purple-black. Leaves ± = culms, 3–6 mm wide, double-folded, bright green or yellow-green, margins finely scabrid. Spikes 5–8; terminal 1(-3) spikes male; remaining spikes female, often male at the base, 15-50 × 5-7 mm, cylindrical, uppermost spikes approximate and sessile, lower spikes more distant, erect, on short, stiff peduncles. Glumes (excluding awn) ± = utricles, ovate, pinkish brown to chestnut-brown, membranous, hyaline margins often very broad, tip deeply emarginate, the light green or brown midrib produced to a scabrid awn. Utricles 2.5–3.5 × c.1.5 mm, biconvex, obovoid, turgid, usually dark brown to almost purple-black throughout with distinct, paler brown nerves, shining; beak slightly < 1 mm long, bifid, with very divergent crura, margins and orifice scabrid. Stigmas 3. Nut c.1.5 mm long, trigonous, light to dark brown, surface minutely pitted.

Similar Taxa

Carex lambertiana often grows with C. dissita Sol. ex Boott, C. ochrosaccus (Cheeseman) Hamlin, and C. solandri Boott. Of these species it is most similar to C. dissita from which it differs by the stouter, more robust habit, larger spikelets usually erect, shortly pedunculate spikelets bearing more numerous flowers and utricles; obovoid rather than ovoid utricles, and glumes which have deeply emarginate apices. From C. ochrosaccus with which it often grows, it differs by the longer, darker brown to almost purple black utricles and by the glumes which have deeply emarginate tips. Carex lambertiana could also be confused with C. solandri from which it is easily distinguished by the usually short rather than long pedunculate, erect rather than pendulous, spikelets

Flowering

September - December

Fruiting

Throughout the year

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants. A far superior species to the widely cultivated C. dissita, which deserves to be more widely grown. It does best in partial shade, within a rich, free draining soil. This species occasionally naturalises in urban areas.

Threats

Not Threatened

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 18 Jun 2015