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  4. Anthoxanthum redolens

Anthoxanthum redolens

Southern Tararua Range. Nov 2011.<br>Photographer: Patrick Enright, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Southern Tararua Range. Nov 2011.<br>Photographer: Patrick Enright, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Tongariro, January.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Hierochloe redolens.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Herepai Hut, Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 28/02/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Herepai Hut, Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 28/02/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Spikelet. Herepai Hut, Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 28/02/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Hierochloe redolens.<br>Photographer: Bec Stanley, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0'>CC BY-SA</a>.
Tongariro National Park.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Tongariro National Park.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Tongariro National Park.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mount Ruapehu.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 09/02/2012, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mount Climie, Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/02/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Hierochloe redolens.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Mount Climie, Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/02/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

holy grass, kāretu

Synonyms

Holcus redolens Vahl, Avena redolens (Vahl) Pers., Anthoxanthum redolens (Vahl) D.Royen, Hierochloe antarctica var. redolens (Vahl) Raspail, Holcus redolens R.Br., Torresia redolens Roem. et Schult., Hierachloe banksiana Endl., Hierochloe redolens (Vahl) Roem. et Schult.

Family

Poaceae

Authority

Anthoxanthum redolens P. Royen

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

No

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.

HIERED

Chromosome number

2n = 84

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By 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.

2012 | Not Threatened

Previous conservation statuses

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Brief description

Large scented grass with broad leaves.

Distribution

Indigenous. Throughout North (uncommon north of Rotorua), South and Chatham Islands. Also on the Three Kings Islands. Indigenous to Australia, New Guinea and South America

Habitat

In tussock grassland.

Features

Robust, lax tufts. Leaf-sheath glabrous, ± striate, lower ± purplish. Ligule 2-3 mm, chartaceous, ± irregularly rounded. Leaf-blade to 70 cm × 8-12 mm, abaxially ± glabrous, adaxially scabrid on prominent ribs; margins glabrous or prickle-toothed. Culm to 130 cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 20-30 cm, erect, nodding above, and lower branches also nodding; branches binate at nodes, very slender, naked for ½ to ¾ length, spikelets crowded distally; pedicels 0.5-2 mm, villous. Glumes unequal, membranous, scarious, glabrous, ovate, acute, keeled, 3-nerved; lower 6-7 mm, mostly ≥ lower floret, upper 7-8 mm, > second floret. Florets pale straw-coloured. ♂ florets: lemma 5-6.5 mm, oblong-ovate, lobes c. 1 mm, chartaceous with scarious tips, long hairs on keel below, minutely scabrid above, margins ciliate with soft, silvery hairs; awns 3.5-6 mm, slender, ± straight, insertion 3-4 mm above base; palea 4-5.5 mm, membranous, irregularly finely scabrid on keels; lodicules 1-1.6 mm, ± ovate, lobed, acute, glabrous; callus hairs to 1.25 mm; anthers 2-3 mm. ☿ floret: lemma 4.5-6 mm, narrow-ovate, glabrous, apex minutely hairy, muticous to subapically mucronate 0.25-0.5 mm; palea 4-5.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, keel 1-(2) finely irregularly ciliate; lodicules 0.75-1 mm, ovate-oblong, abruptly tapering, often lateral lobed, glabrous; anthers 1-1.5 mm; gynoecium: ovary c. 1 mm, stigma-styles 4-5 mm; caryopsis c. 2 mm, embryo 0.5 mm, hilum 0.75 mm.

Similar taxa

Distinguished from other native members of the genus by the clearly awned florets, which on the males florets are inserted near lemma base and the awns of upper male floret being straight.

Can be superficially silimar to the extotic tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) but can be readily seperated by the scented leaves and obviously awned florets.

Life cycle

Florets are water and wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Etymology

anthoxanthum: From the Greek 'anthos' meaning flower and 'xanthum'= yellow, referring to the colour of the panicles.

redolens: Sweet-scented

Taxonomic notes

Hierochloe brunonis Hook.f. and H. fusca Zotov are probably better regarded as part of H. redolens.

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (21 April 2021). Habitat, Features and similar taxa sections modified from Edgar & Connor (2000).

References and further reading

Edgar, E. & Connor, H.E. 2000: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Christchurch, Manaaki Whenua Press. 650 pp.

Ford, M. 2023. The return of Holy Grass, a century unrecorded in the North. Trilepidea 228. 10-12.

Johnson, A. T. & Smith, H. A (1986). Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd: Buckenhill, UK.

Thorsen, M. J., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309

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