Zotovia acicularis
Synonyms
None
Family
Poaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Grasses
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.
ZOTACI
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, RR, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Data Deficient
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 elevations 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.
Detailed description
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, ½ 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.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
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 to grow from rooted pieces and the division of whole plants. Fresh seed should germinate easily.
Etymology
acicularis: From the Latin acicula ‘small pin’ refers to things which are needle-like, needle-shaped, stiff or pointed
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Zotovia acicularis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/zotovia-acicularis/ (Date website was queried)