Anthosachne sacandros
Synonyms
Elymus sacandros Connor
Family
Poaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
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.
ANTSAC
Chromosome number
2n = 42
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: DP, RR, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic. Marlborough only.
Habitat
Primarily coastal but extending inland in some locations. On limestone cliffs and river terraces, from sea level to 900 m.
Detailed description
Tufted or open branched. Leaf-sheath 30–120 mm, underside striate, glabrous, upper surface clad with minute prickles. Ligule 0.2–0.3 mm, fused to leaf-sheath margins. Leaf-blade 100–800 × 0.5–0.7 mm diam., filiform, underside glaucous, ribbed, upper surface with dense weft of 1 mm long hairs at base. Culm 150–400 mm, erect. Inflorescence 50–200 mm, of up to 8 spikelets. Spikelets 40–60 mm, of 6–8 florets. Glumes unequal, extended as 3 mm long prickle-toothed awn; lower 4.5–6.5 mm, 3–5-nerved, upper 7–11 mm, 5–7-nerved. Lemma with central, prominent nerve continued as recurved awn 25–60 mm long. Palea 10–11.5 mm, apex pointed, bifid. Rachilla 2–3 mm, hairy. Callus 1–1.5 mm, hairy, hairs greater than or equal in length callus. Anthers 3.8–5.5 mm.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Similar taxa
Perhaps closest to the Southern Canterbury and Central Otago endemic A. falcis. Distinguished from that species by the erect growth -form, long, thin, ribbed, glaucous leaf-blades and by the dense weft of hairs at the leaf-blade/ligule junction. Superficially similar in appearance to A. solandri, from which it can be distinguished by the narrow, involute leaves that have a dense weft of hairs on the inside when unrolled, and by the hairier and longer callus and rachilla.
Flowering
October–February
Fruiting
December–May
Life cycle
Florets are dispersed by wind and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a sunny aspect in free draining soil enriched with lime or dolomite.
Threats
A rather narrow range endemic which nevertheless can at times be locally abundant.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange June 2005. Description adapted from Edgar & Connor (2000).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
References and further reading
Barkworth ME, Jacobs SWL. 2011: The Triticeae (Gramineae) in Australasia. Telopea 13: 37–56.
Edgar E, Connor HE. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Christchurch, Manaaki Whenua Press. 650 p.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Anthosachne sacandros Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/anthosachne-sacandros/ (Date website was queried)