The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. torta

Etymology

Chionochloa: snow grass

Common Name(s)

curly snow tussock

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

Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. torta Connor

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CHICST

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

None (first described in 1991)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (east and west of Main Divide from about southern Marlborough and Westland to Fiordland.

Habitat

Subalpine to alpine. Often the dominant species in grasslands with impeded drainage or bogs.

Features

Short, stout, robust, shining tussock with smooth, pungent, much twisted, deciduous and leaving leaves, with many imbricate old sheaths. Leaf-sheath to 120 mm, shining above, darkened below, sometimes purpled usually with many inter-rib hairs. Leaf-blade to 300 × 6 mm, keeled, drawn out into long tapering, twisting or curling, pointed apex; disarticulating at ligule, abaxially glabrous except for prickle-teeth towards apex, adaxially papillate but with some prickle-teeth especially near ligule; margin thickened, long hairs below or sometimes with prickle-teeth. Culm to 650 mm, often purpled, internodes usually hairy, often hairy below inflorescence. Inflorescence to 150 mm, open, pulvinate; spikelets often paired on flexuous branches; rachis, branches and pedicels with mixed long and short hairs or rachis hairy on margins only. Spikelets of up to 7 golden florets. Glumes thin, purpled, acute or mucronate from between teeth or aristate to erose, greater than or equal to adjacent lemma lobes; lower to 12 mm, shortly 1-3-nerved, glabrous, upper to 16 mm, 5-7-nerved, margin often long hairy below otherwise glabrous. Lemma to 6 mm, shining; hairs dense on margin and in mostly all internerves, usually absent from central nerve, < sinus; lateral lobes to 6.5 mm including awn to 3 mm, or triangular-acute or long acute; central awn to 12 mm slightly twisting and markedly reflexed from flat column to 2 mm. Palea to 7 mm. Callus to 1 mm, hairs to 2.5 mm. Rachilla to 1.5 mm. Lodicules to 2 mm. Anthers to 4 mm. Ovary to 0.75 mm; stigma-styles to 3.5 mm. Seed to 3 mm

Flowering

October - December

Fruiting

December - April

Propagation Technique

Often difficult. Can be grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces but tend to be very slow growing. Prefers a permanently damp, acidic soil and semi-shade. Plants must never be allowed to dry out.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 15 Aug 2014