Species

Agrostis magellanica

Etymology

Agrostis: Greek name for a kind of grass
magellanica: Named after the Magellan Straits in southern South America

Common Name(s)

none known

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

Agrostis magellanica Lam.

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

AGRMAG

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

Grasses

Synonyms

Agrostis multiculmis Hook.f.

Distribution

Indigenous. South Island (south-western region only), Antipodes, Auckland, and Campbell Islands. Indigenous to Macquarie, Falkland, Kerguelen, Crozet and Marion Islands and South America from Chile to Tierra del Fuego

Habitat

In the South Island subalpine to alpine on rocky or stony ground. In the Subantarctic Islands at lower altitudes where it grows in dry or wet peat and amongst moss cushions.

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces but dislikes humid conditions, and needs a cold winter to flower

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 84

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Florets are dispersed by wind and water (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

References and further reading

Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309

This page last updated on 14 Aug 2014