Carex potens
Common name
bastard grass, hook sedge
Synonyms
Uncinia affinis (C.B.Clarke) Hamlin; Uncinia riparia R.Br. var. affinis Col. ex C.B.Clarke; Uncinia purpurata Petrie var. subcaespitosa Kük.
Family
Cyperaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Sedges
NVS code
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.
UNCAFF
Chromosome number
2n = 88
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand. North Island (Mt Egmont, Central Volcanic Plateau, Ruahine and Tararua Ranges), South Island.
Habitat
Mostly montane to alpine, rarely coastal in southern part of its range. In forests, subalpine scrub and frost flats.
Detailed description
Stoutly erect, densely caespitose, yellow-green to dark green plants. Culms 100.0–800.0 × 0.5–1.0 mm diameter, sharply trigonous, scabrid below inflorescence, often drooping; basal sheaths dull dark brown. Leaves 3–4 per culm, = or slightly < culms, 1.5–2.0 mm wide, yellow-green to dark green, margins harshly scabrid, slightly involute when dry. Spikes 50–140 mm long, female flowers c. 15–20, lax, internodes 11 mm long at base of spike, 3–6 mm long above. Glumes ± = or rarely much < utricles, persistent, obtuse or lowermost subacute, coriaceous, pale brown. Utricles 6–7 × c. 1 mm., plano-convex, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, grey-brown, nerved, slightly contracted or cuneate at the base forming a stipe 1.5–2.0 mm long, beak 2 mm long.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the other New Zealand species by the lax inflorescences, and utricles which are c. 1 mm diameter. It is most likely to be confused with Carex erythrovaginata K.A.Ford from which it differs by the leaf-sheaths, leaves and glumes which lack red colouration. Carex potens is very closely allied to the Australian Carex umbricola K.L.Wilson.
Flowering
October–November
Fruiting
November–January
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of established plants. Prefers a permanently moist, peaty soil but will grow in most substrates. Best in semi-shade.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
Where To Buy
Not Commercially Available
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970).
References and further reading
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.