Species

Zotovia acicularis

Etymology

acicularis: Needle-like, needle-shaped, stiff or pointed

Common Name(s)

None known

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 - RR, Sp

Authority

Zotovia acicularis Edgar et Connor

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ZOTACI

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

None

Distribution

Endemic. Known only from Fiordland National Park, where it has been collected from Lyall Bay, (Thompson Sound), All Round Point (Secretary Island), and Lake Mike at altitudes of 670-1100 m.

Habitat

Very little is known about this grass, which is only known from three locations. Herbarium specimens indicate that it grows on rocks and wet shady bluffs.

Features

Small, 3-13 cm tufted, dense but fine leaved grass with needle-like leaf tips, arising from slender rhizomes. Leaf-sheath to 8 mm, keeled, hairless, wider than blade. Ligule 0.5 mm, tapered, finely hairy. Leaf-blade 1-2.6 cm × 0.5 mm diameter, tightly inrolled, light green with cream cross-veinlets, hairless, pinched into curved, pale, needle-like tip. Margins with numerous minute prickle-teeth. Culms slender, minutely hairy below inflorescence. Inflorescence 1 cm long made up of 3-6 spikelets, pedicels with dense, minute prickle-teeth. Spikelets 5-7.5 mm. Glumes 2-3.5 mm, half length of spikelet, lanceolate, subacute, keeled above, hairless, lower 1-nerved, upper 3-nerved. Anthers 1.1-1.5 mm. Stigmas plumose. Seeds as yet unknown.

Similar Taxa

Zotovia accicularis is only likely to be confused with Z. colensoi from which it differs by its more compacted, low 2-4(-8) cm, mat-forming habit, and needle-like leaf tips.

Flowering

No information available

Fruiting

No information available

Propagation Technique

Like the two other species of Zotovia, Z. accicularis is probably easy from rooted pieces and the division of whole plants. Fresh seed should germinate easily.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

This page last updated on 20 Jan 2014