The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Anemanthele lessoniana

Etymology

lessoniana: Named after René Primevère Lesson who was a 19th century French botanist and surgeon

Common Name(s)

Gossamer grass

Current Conservation Status

2018 - At Risk - Relict

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

2012 - Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable
2009 - At Risk - Declining
2004 - Sparse

Qualifiers

2012 - DP, Sp
2009 - DP

Authority

Anemanthele lessoniana (Steud.) Veldkamp

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ANELES

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

Agrostis lessoniana Steud., Oryzopsis lessoniana (Steud.) Veldkamp, Agrostis procera A.Rich., Dichelachne procera Steud., D. rigida Steud., Oryzopsis rigida (Steud.) Zotov, Agrostis rigida A.Rich., Apera arundinacea Hook.f., Stipa arundinacea (Hook.f.) Benth., Apera purpurascens Colenso

Distribution

Endemic. North Island, North Auckland, Waikato and southern third of the island. South Island from Nelson and Marlborough south, mainly in the east. Also occurs as a cultivation escape in some places, e.g., Auckland City.

Habitat

Sea level to montane forest, forest margins, scrub and on cliff faces and associated talus.

Features

Erect, tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial, bearing densely leafy culms surmounted by delicate, nodding panicles. Leaf-sheath to 150 mm, outer margin ciliate. Ligule 1.5 mm, asymmetrical, entire to fimbriate. Leaf-blade 450 x 6 mm, stiff, involute or flat, upper surface shining, apex acute,, undersides smooth, dull, margins scabrid. Culm to 750 mm, simple, erect to nodding, internodes smooth, occasionally scabrid below panicle. Panicle 600 mm; purplish-red or green, branches capillary, spreading, whorled; rachis slender, smooth to scaberulous, branches and pedicels scaberulous. Spikelets laterally subcompressed, pale green to purplish. Glumes subequal, 2.5-3.5 mm, hyaline, acute to acuminate, keel scabrid; lower linear-lanceolate, 1-nerved, upper elliptic-lanceolate, 1-3-nerved. Flowers perfect. Lemma 2 mm, 3-nerved, elliptic-oblong, awn to 8 mm, scabrid, curved, caducous. Callus minute, rounded, ringed by very minute hairs. Anther 1, 0.8-1.4 mm, apically thickened.

Similar Taxa

A most distinctive and singular species which could only be confused with the common introduced grass Piptatherum miliaceuum (L.) Coss. From that species Anemanthele is most readily distinguished by its spikelets with have laterally subcompressed rather than dorsally compressed florets bearing one rather than three stamens.

Flowering

(October-) January (-March)

Fruiting

(November-) February (-May)

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed, often naturalises in gardens and can become very invasive. Can be grown in a variety of situations but does best in dry soil in full sun or partial shade under trees. Does not like damp soils.

Chromosome No.

2n = 40-44

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

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

This page last updated on 10 May 2014