The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Carex inversa

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

creeping lawn 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 inversa R.Br.

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CARINV

Structural Class

Sedges

Synonyms

Carex smaragdina Col.

Distribution

Indigenous. New Zealand: North and South Islands

Habitat

Coastalt to montane - but mostly coastal to lowland. In scrub, open forest, and grassland. A common urban weed of lawns in northern New Zealand. This species has probably become more common as a result of human colonisation of the country.

Features

Rhizomatous, extensively creeping yellow-green to green sedge. Plants variable in size, usually flaccid, forming a matted sward. Rhizome long-creeping, to 2 mm diameter, covered by closely appressed brown scales or their fibrous remains; shoots ± distant, singly from the rhizome, c. 1 mm diameter at base including basal sheaths. Culms 20-450 × c. 0.5-1.0 mm, weak, smooth, green to yellow-green, obtusely trigonous; basal sheaths pale brown almost cream. Leaves < mature culms, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, channelled to flat, soft, grass-like, margins usually smooth or very minutely scabrid towards tip. Inflorescence a pale green or bright green ovate head, c.10 mm long, of 2–5 closely packed ± sessile spikes, or occasionally 1-2 spikes distant from the rest; bracts subtending inflorescence and lower spikes green and leafy, much longer than inflorescence. Spikes androgynous, 4-8 mm long, male flowers 1-3 at base of spikes, occasionally 0. Glumes < utricles, ovate, acuminate, white or pale brown, with a green, faintly scabrid keel. Utricles 3.0-3.5 × c.1.5 mm, plano-convex, ovoid, elliptical, distinctly nerved on convex face, light greenish brown; narrowed to a scabrid beak c.1 mm long; stipe slightly > 0.5 mm long, pale cream. Stigmas 2. Nut c.1.5 mm. long, plano-convex, broadly oblong, shortly stipitate, light to dark brown.

Similar Taxa

Perhaps most similar to Carex colensoi Boott, from which it is distinguished by the shortly creeping, usually flaccid, trailing habit, and yellow-green to green rather than long trailing, light-green (almost glaucous) culms topped by 2-5 (rarely 1-2) pale green to light yellow-brown spikes rather than relatively large inflorescences composed of 1-4 clustered brown spikes. The utricles of C. inverse are prominently beaked and nerved; those of C. colensoi are scarcely beaked utricles and with indistinct nerves

Flowering

Throughout the year

Fruiting

Throughout the year

Propagation Technique

Easily (too easily) grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. An aggressive plant in most situations which readily spreads from seed and by detachment of the rhizome. This species is unlikely to be deliberately cultivated though it can be a useful ground cover in dry, open situations. Care xinversa is often spread by lawn mowers, and once established can prove difficult to control.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = c.40-44

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Nuts surrounded by inflated utricles are dispersed by granivory and wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 18 Jun 2015