Carex cheesemaniana
Common name
hook sedge, bastard grass
Synonyms
Uncinia compacta R.Br. var. nervosa (Boott) C.B.Clarke; Uncinia cheesemanniana Boeck; Uncinia nervosa Boott
Family
Cyperaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
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.
UNCNER
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). 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
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: South Island. Also Tasmania
Habitat
A local to locally common species of wet ground and bogs in montane forest or in subalpine to alpine snow-tussock (Chionochloa) grassland.
Features
Bright to dark green, lax or densely caespitose plants. Culms 100-300 mm long, usually slightly < but occasionally > 0.5 mm diameter, glabrous; basal bracts dull grey-brown. Leaves 4-6 per culm, slightly < flowering culms, much < mature culms, c.0.5 mm wide, plano-convex or concavo-convex, rigid, linear, scarcely narrowed to the obtuse tip, margins scabrid. Spikes 15-30 × 2-6 mm, oblong, female flowers 2-12, ± close-set, internodes 1.5-4.0 mm long. Glumes < or > utricles, deciduous, lanceolate, subacute, sides membranous, midrib green. Utricles 4-6 × c.1 mm, trigonous, elliptic-lanceolate, greenish brown to dark brown, lateral nerves prominent, shining, very slightly contracted to a broad stipe c.1 mm long, beak 1.0–1.5 mm long
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
December - March
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and the division of whole plants. Prefers cool, damp ground but once established will tolerate drought. Excellent in semi-shade.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
Taxonomic Notes
The epithet ‘cheesemanniana’ (Global Carex Group 2015) based on Uncinia cheesemanniana Boeckeler is an orthographic error here corrected to ‘cheesemaniana’ (see Art. 60, International Code of Nomenclautre, Melbourne Code, 2011) - http://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/main.php?page=art60
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970). Fact sheet prepared by Peter J. de Lange 17 August 2006.
References and further reading
Global Carex Group 2015: Making Carex monophyletic (Cyperaceae, tribe Cariceae): a new broader circumscription. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 179: 1-42
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Carex cheesemaniana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-cheesemaniana/ (Date website was queried)