Species

Schoenus nitens

Etymology

Schoenus: rush

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

Schoenus nitens (R.Br.) Roem. et Schult.

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

SCHNTE

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

Chaetospora nitens R.Br.; Scirpus nitens (R.Br.) Boeck., Schoenus nitens (R.Br.) Roem. et Schult. var. nitens

Distribution

Indigenous. North, South and Chatham Islands. Also in Australia and New Guinea. In New Zealand abundant from about Whatipu south to Wellington, Scarce in the South Island. Abundant on the main Chatham Island.

Habitat

Coastal. A species of damp ground within sand flats, dune swales, and the margins of tidal creeks, brackish swamps, lagoons and ponds.

Features

Rhizomatous, tufted rush-like sedge. Rhizomes lignaceous, up to 1.5 mm diameter, loosely covered by large, membranous, overlapping scales. Culms 10-400 mm long, slightly greater than 0.5 mm diameter, dark green, red-green to greenish brown, wiry, erect, striated, unbranched, densely tufted or widely spaced along rhizome. Leaves less than culms, upper leaves alternate, rigidly setaceous, semi-terete, margins rarely scabrid towards leaf apex; basal leaves reduced to red-purple, grooved, mucronate sheaths. Inflorescence terminal, capitate with crowded sessile spikelets, subtending bract greater than inflorescence. Spikelets(2-)4-many, 2-5 mm long, 2-3-flowered. Glumes 5-7, bright chestnut-brown with green median nerve, 2-3 lowest smaller, empty. Hypogynous bristles 6, usually > nut, yellow-brown and scabrid towards the apex, often branched and basally plumose with long white hairs. Stamens 3. Style Branches 3. Nut ovoid to elliptical-oblong, 1.5 mm long, light grey-brown to red-brown, smooth, glossy, surface cells minute (appearing as dimples), angles scarcely thickened.

Similar Taxa

Schoenus concinnus (Hook.f.) Hook.f. is somewhat similar but differs by its finer culms, more densely tufted growth habit, smaller stature, often solitary spikelets (there may occasionally be three spikelets), subacute rather than obtuse glumes, and yellow-brown rather than grey-brown to red-brown, larger nut (1.5-2.0 mm cf. 1.5 mm long). Schoenus nitens differs from the other rush-like species by having well developed leaves.

Flowering

October - February

Fruiting

December - July

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from the division of established plants and from fresh seed. Prefers a damp, well drained soil in full sun.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 74

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

Attribution

Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970).

References and further reading

Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.

This page last updated on 11 Aug 2014