Species

Anthosachne sacandros

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 - DP, RR, Sp

Authority

Anthosachne sacandros (Connor) Barkworth et S.W.L.Jacobs

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ANTSAC

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

Elymus sacandros Connor

Distribution

Endemic. Marlborough only.

Habitat

Primarily coastal but extending inland in some locations. On limestone cliffs and river terraces, from sea level to 900 m

Features

Tufted or open branched. Leaf-sheath 30-120 mm, underside striate, glabrous, upper surface clad with minute prickles. Ligule 0.2-0.3 mm, fused to leaf-sheath margins. Leaf-blade 100-800 x 0.5-0.7 mm diam., filiform, underside glaucous, ribbed, upper surface with dense weft of 1 mm long hairs at base. Culm 150-400 mm, erect. Inflorescence 50-200 mm, of up to 8 spikelets. Spikelets 40-60 mm, of 6-8 florets. Glumes unequal, extended as 3 mm long prickle-toothed awn; lower 4.5-6.5 mm, 3-5-nerved, upper 7-11 mm, 5-7-nerved. Lemma with central, prominent nerve continued as recurved awn 25-60 mm long. Palea 10-11.5 mm, apex pointed, bifid, Rachilla 2-3 mm, hairy. Callus 1-1.5 mm, hairy, hairs greater than or equal in length callus. Anthers 3.8-5.5 mm.

Similar Taxa

Perhaps closest to the Southern Canterbury and Central Otago endemic A. falcis. Distinguished from that species by the erect growth -form, long, thin, ribbed, glaucous leaf-blades and by the dense weft of hairs at the leaf-blade/ligule junction. Superficially similar in appearance to A. solandri, from which it can be distinguished by the narrow, involute leaves that have a dense weft of hairs on the inside when unrolled, and by the hairier and longer callus and rachilla.

Flowering

October -February

Fruiting

December -May

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a sunny aspect in free draining soil enriched with lime or dolomite

Threats

A rather narrow range endemic which nevertheless can at times be locally abundant.

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

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

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange June 2005. Description adapted from Edgar & Connor (2000).

References and further reading

Barkworth, M.E.; Jacobs, S.W.L. 2011: The Triticeae (Gramineae) in Australasia. Telopea 13: 37-56.

Edgar, E.; Connor, H.E. 2000: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press

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 11: 285-309

This page last updated on 12 Sep 2014