Species

Stenostachys laevis

Common Name(s)

grassland wheatgrass

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 - DP, Sp

Authority

Stenostachys laevis (Petrie) Connor

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

STELAE

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

Asprella laevis Petrie, Cockaynea laevis (Petrie) Zotov, Hystrix laevis (Petrie) Allan, Elymus laevis (Petrie) Á.Löve et Connor

Distribution

Endemic. North Island; only known from Reporoa Bog (North West Ruahine Range). South Island; throughout except Nelson, and Westland. Stewart Island.

Habitat

Small grass of tussock grasslands, grey scrub, shaded cliff faces, and lake sides. Often in flushes. Occasionally coastal. From sea level to 1300m altitude.

Features

Perennial grass, forming loose patches, these rooting and shooting freely at nodes. Inflorescences narrow, nodding, on long slender stems (culms). Leaf-sheath 5-10 cm, either covered in curved hairs or hairless. Ligule 0.5-1 mm, prominent, tips lacerated. Leaf-blade 15-25 cm × 1.5-2 mm, flat (often inrolled in coastal plants), thin, with a prominent midrib, hairless or finely hairy. Culms 50-75 cm, nodes inconspicuous, internodes hairless, slender. Inflorescence narrow, slender, 8-15 cm, of 10-25 spikelets > internodes. Spikelets 8-12 mm, of 1-2 florets. Glumes 2, awn-like, 2-6 mm, equal, 1-nerved. Lemma 6.5-8 mm, smooth except for prickle-teeth towards bifid tip, apex either spine-tipped (mucronate) or extended as a short, toothed, awn 0.5-1 mm. Anthers 1.6-2.6 mm. Seed 4 mm.

Similar Taxa

Distinguished from S. deceptorix Connor and S. gracilis (Hook.f.) Connor by the lemma (lower set of bracts which enclose the flower, grass equivalent of petals) apex possessing between the lateral teeth either a spine-tip (mucronate) or short awned. Stenostachys grasses are perhaps most similar to Australopyrum enysii and distinguished from that species and also Elymus because the glumes are either absent or reduced and awn-like, and by the spikelets which are positioned edgewise along the inflorescence stem (rachis) rather than side-on as in Elymus. Inrolled leaves of coastal plants become flat in cultivation.

Flowering

January to March

Fruiting

March to May

Propagation Technique

Very easy from rooted pieces, divisions of whole plants and from fresh seed. Grows best in light shade.

Threats

Stenostachys laevis is probably not threatened but it is certainly uncommon, and easily overlooked. Because of this, there are few recent >1980 records.

Chromosome No.

2n = 28

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No


This page last updated on 6 May 2011