Species:
	Amphibromus fluitans
Common Name(s):
	Water brome
Threat Status:
	Nationally Endangered
Status 2004:
	Nationally Endangered
Authority:
	Amphibromus fluitans Kirk
Qualifiers:
	EF, TO
Family:
	Poaceae
Flora Category:
	Vascular - Native
Synonyms:
	Amphibromus gracilis P.Morris of Australia is now regarded as a synonym of A. fluitans.
Distribution:
	Indigenous. New Zealand, North and South Islands. In the North Island It is known from Ninety Mile Beach and Karikari Peninsula to Paekakariki and Lake Wairarapa. In the South Island known only from Maher’s Swamp, near Punakaiki and from Lake Tekapo. Present in Australia where it is very uncommon.
Habitat:
	Coastal to montane in moderately fertile, seasonally dry wetlands or along the edges of shallow lakes and lagoons.
Features:
	Somewhat flaccid to weakly tufted, stoloniferous, semi-aquatic grass, forming circular grey-green mats 70-400 x 150 mm on muddy ground (up to 400 mm tall when growing up through surrounding vegetation). Culms decumbent, rooting at lower nodes, erect or floating above. Leaf-sheath papery, smooth or scabrid, often wholly scabrid toward culm apex. Ligule 1.5-5 mm, long-tapered, acute, initially entire, becoming lacerate. Leaf-blade 50-125 x 0.6-3 mm, grey-green, flat or inrolled, upper surface somewhat scabrid, shallowly ribbed, undersides notably more scabrid and prominently ribbed, apex acute. Culm internodes mostly smooth, rarely scabrid below nodes. Panicle 65-13 mm, erect, initially enclosed below by uppermost leaf-sheath, at fruiting often expanding entirely above leaves; branches and pedicels scabrid. Spikelets 15-25 mm, 3-6-flowered, pale green. Glumes unequal, glabrous, obtuse margins ciliate-scabrid; lower 2-3 mm, 1-nerved, narrowly lanceolate, upper 2-4 mm, 3-nerved, ovate-lanceolate. Lemma 4-5.5 mm, 7-nerved, firm, green, margin rather wide, hyaline, minutely scabrid or hairy; lemma lobes 2, obtuse; awn 7-18 mm, straight, arising from lemma midpoint. Palea < lemma, keels stiffly ciliate, interkeel glabrous. Seeds 1.5-2 x 0.5-0.7 mm.
Similar Taxa:
	Sterile specimens of creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera L.) are most similar and often grows in the same habitat. Creeping bent has fleshy leaves and the leaf blade tends to be wider than the sheath. Kneed foxtail (Alopecurus genicuatus L.) is also similar in the vegetative state but it is larger and coarser. Sweetgrasses (Glyceria species) have long thin (often blue-green coloured) leaves with cross-veinlets and they tend to float on water.
Flowering:
	September - May (dependent on water levels)
Fruiting:
	September - July (dependent on water levels)
Propagation Technique:
	Easily grown from fresh seed and the division of rooted pieces. Can be grown in dry ground but prefers damp soil. Good in a pot, and an unusual and attractive grass for a pond or slow flowing stream
Threats:
	Habitat loss through wetland drainage, stock grazing and competition from weeds.
Chromosome No.:
	2n = 42
Endemic Taxon:
	No
Endemic Genus:
	No
Endemic Family:
	No

Where To Buy
Can be purchased from Oratia Native Plant Nurseries (info@oratianatives.co.nz)

Cultural Use/Importance
The largest populations of the species seem to be at the Waihora and Arohaki lagoons, at Lake Rerewhakaaitu in wetlands on the north eastern and eastern margin of Lake Wairarapa. Description modified from Edgar, E.; Connor, H.E. 2000: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Christchurch, Manaaki Whenua Press. 650 pp.

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Last updated: 29 Mar 2010