Species
Gahnia lacera
Etymology
Gahnia: after Gahn
Common Name(s)
cutty grass
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
Gahnia lacera (A.Rich.) Steud.
Family
Cyperaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
GAHLAC
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
Lampocarya lacera A.Rich.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island from Te Paki south to about Awakino in the west and East Cape in the East.
Habitat
Coastal to lowland (rarely extending up to 500 m a.s.l. in mountain ranges close to the sea). Colonising a variety of substrates which may be seasonally waterlogged thoughotherwise dry. Usually found in scrub or open forest.
Features
Stout, bambusiform, perennial sedge forming dense, yellowish-green tufts. Rhizome shortly creeping, 5-8 mm diameter, very hard, lignaceous, long persistent when dead. Culms 0.6-2.0 m, 2-4 but up to 6 mm diameter at the base. Leaves numerous, almost all cauline and = or > culms; lamina up to 380 mm long and 9 mm wide, yellow-green, green or dark green, flat or involute, glabrous, margins scabrid; sheaths all closely appressed to and enclosing base of culm, rugose above, maturing dark brown to almost black, smooth and glossy towards the node. Panicle 20-600 x 30-60 mm, rigid, usually erect, many-flowered, light brown with branchlets 20-160 mm long, usually in dense though more or less distant clusters along the axis of the panicle. Spikelets 1-flowered, 8 mm long, alternate on the branchlets, sessile or shortly stalked. Glumes 4-5; the outer 2-3 light red-brown; inner glumes pale cream, with a red lacerate apex. Stamens 4. Style-branches 3. Nut 3.5-4.5 mm long, slightly < 2 mm diameter, oblong-ellipsoid or oblong-obovoid, lustrous black, with a minute apiculate apex, endocarp obscurely transverse striate within.
Similar Taxa
Immediately distinguished from all other Gahnia species and Morelotia affinis (Brong.) Blake by the rhizomatous habit, and stout, bamboo-like culms
Flowering
July - November
Fruiting
Fruits may be present throughout the year
Propagation Technique
Can be difficult to cultivate. The seed is difficult to germinate, and plants resent root disturbance and usually die if transplanted. However, considerable success has been achieved growing plants and/or germinating seed in untreated saw dust. Despite these problems this is an attractive species well worth attempting to grow. Once established it flourishes in a range of conditions but does best in full sun in a well drained or only seasonally wet soil.
Threats
Not Threatened
Endemic Taxon
Yes
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Florets are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
This page last updated on 20 Nov 2015