Carex aucklandica
Common names
Subantarctic hook grass
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Slender tufts, shoots < 1mm diameter at base (including sheaths), often rather distant from an ascending rhizome < 1 mm diameter. Culms 50–400 mm long, much < 0.5 mm diameter, glabrous; basal bracts dull, dark reddish brown. Leaves 4–7 per culm, ± = culms, 0.5–1 mm wide, yellow-green, scabrid on margins and adaxial surface towards the long filiform tip. Spikes 25–50 × 2–3 mm, occasionally bracteate, female flowers c. 10–20, internodes to 5 mm long at base of spike, 1.5–2.0 mm long above. Glumes = or slightly < utricles, deciduous, ovate-lanceolate, subacute, membranous, pale cream or brown with a green midrib. Utricles 5–6 mm long, slightly < 1 mm diameter, plano-convex or subtrigonous to trigonous, narrow oblong-lanceolate, light green, shining, nerved but often very faintly so on the two abaxial surfaces, usually erect when ripe, slightly narrowed to a stipe 1.0–1.5 mm long, beak gradually tapered, only slightly narrower than utricle, 1.0–1.5 mm long.
Similar taxa
Carex aucklandica is closely allied to C. erebus K.A.Ford from which it chiefly differs by its weakly stoloniferous, less markedly tussock-forming growth habit, narrower leaves and spikes, and by the lighter coloured, mature utricles which remaining tightly clasping the inflorescence axis rather than spreading widely.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (South Otago, Fiordland), Stewart Island/Rakiura, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku.
Habitat
Forest and shrubland from sea level to 900 m a.s.l. Occasionally extending into tussock grassland (Poa/Chionochloa) where it has been found sympatric with Carex erebus on the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Cyperaceae
Synonyms
Uncinia aucklandica Hamlin
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November–December
Fruiting
December–February
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants (though these may then take a while to settle). Prefers a shaded site, and should be planted within a deep, rich, free draining but permanently moist soil.
Other information
Where To Buy
Not Commercially Available
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
aucklandica: Of the Auckland Islands
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.
CARAUK
Chromosome number
2n = 88
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
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.
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970). Fact sheet prepared by Peter J. de Lange 17 August 2006.
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Carex aucklandica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-aucklandica/ (Date website was queried)