The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. directa

Etymology

Chionochloa: snow grass

Common Name(s)

Snow tussock

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. directa Connor

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CHICSD

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

None (first described in 1991)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Southland (Longwood Range, Takitimu and Hunter Mountains).

Habitat

Upper montane to alpine in short scrub, or within poorly drained or boggy grasslands. Often locally dominant.

Features

Short, slender, tussock with long prostrate stems forming large patches. Leaves shining, smooth, mostly straight, acute, deciduous, leaving many imbricate old sheaths. Leaf-sheath to 100 mm, glabrous, often reddish, shining above, darkened below, sometimes purpled or reddened, persistent, entire, compressed, sometimes apical tuft of hairs to 1 mm. Ligule 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blade to 250 × 3 mm, keeled, drawn out into long tapering, thin, straight, often somewhat twisting, pointed apex pungent, conduplicate, disarticulating at ligule, underside glabrous except for prickle-teeth towards apex, adaxially papillate but with some prickle-teeth especially near ligule; margin thickened, long hairs below or sometimes with prickle-teeth. Culm to 500 mm, often purpled, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 150 mm, open, pulvinate; spikelets often paired on flexuous branches; rachis, branches and pedicels with mixed long and short hairs or rachis hairy on margins only. Spikelets of up to 7 golden florets. Glumes thin, purpled, acute or mucronate from between teeth or aristate to erose, greater than or equal to adjacent lemma lobes; lower to 12 mm, shortly 1-3-nerved, glabrous, upper to 16 mm, 5-7-nerved, margin often long hairy below otherwise glabrous. Lemma to 5.5 mm, shining; densely hairy only on margin and aside central nerve, < sinus; lateral lobes to 6.5 mm including awn to 3 mm, or triangular-acute or long acute; central awn to 12 mm slightly twisting and markedly reflexed from flat column to 2 mm. Palea to 7 mm. Callus to 1 mm, hairs to 2.5 mm. Rachilla to 1.5 mm. Lodicules to 2 mm. Anthers to 4 mm. Ovary to 0.75 mm; stigma-styles to 3.5 mm. Seed to 3 mm

Flowering

October - January

Fruiting

December - May

Propagation Technique

Often difficult. Can be grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces but tend to be very slow growing. Prefers a permanently damp, acidic soil and semi-shade. Plants must never be allowed to dry out.

Threats

Not Threatened. Listed because it is a naturally uncommon, regional endemic.

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 1 Oct 2013