Species

Carex druceana

Etymology

Carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
druceana: after A.P. Druce, one of New Zealand's most respected field botanists

Common Name(s)

Druces Sedge

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 - Data Deficient

Qualifiers

2012 - St

Authority

Carex druceana Hamlin

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CARDRU

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

C. druceana Hamlin var. druceana

Distribution

Endemic. North Island, Ruahine Ranges. South Island, north west Nelson.

Habitat

Sub alpine to alpine sedge of damp ground in tussock grassland.

Features

Light reddish green tufted sedge 10- 20 cm tall. Culms smooth, circular in cross-section (terete), 0.5-1 mm diameter. Basal sheaths grey-brown or light brown,. Leaves > culms, up to 35 cm long, (1-)1.5(-2.2) mm wide, flat, concave or convex, red, margins scabrid (with teeth), tip curled. Inflorescence of 4-6 unstalked, closely-packed, 0.5-1(-1.5) cm × 3-5 mm, ovate or cylindrical spikes. Male spikes at the base, female at the top. Glumes = or < utricles (fruits), broadly ovate or oblong, pale brown with red markings, apex cleft, with the green midrib extending as a scabrid 2 mm long awn. Utricles c.2.5 × 1.3-1.5 mm, ovoid to rhomboid, 3-angled (trigonous) or irregularly inflated, yellowish with red near tip, beak minute (0.3 mm), black or dark brown. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1 × 1 mm, elliptic-obovoid, 3-angled, cream to dark brown.

Similar Taxa

Allied to C. astonii (which is treated as a variety of C. druceana in Flora 2) from which it is distinguished by its wider leaves ((1-)1.5(-2.2) mm vs. 0.7-1.2 mm in C. astonii)), clustered rather than distant spikelets, and by its longer awns ( up to 2 mm, those of C. astonii up to 0.5 mm). C. astonii is confined to the Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges, while C. druceana extends to north west Nelson.

Flowering

No information available

Fruiting

No information available

Propagation Technique

Easily grown by division and from fresh seed.

Threats

Carex druceana is probably not threatened but there are very few recent (>1980) collections.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Can be purchased from Oratia Native Plant Nurseries ([email protected])

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (10 August 2006). 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 18 Jun 2015