Carex druceana
Common name
Druce’s sedge
Synonyms
C. druceana Hamlin var. druceana
Family
Cyperaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
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.
CARDRU
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: St
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: St
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Data Deficient
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, Ruahine Ranges. South Island, north west Nelson.
Habitat
Sub alpine to alpine sedge of damp ground in tussock grassland.
Features
Light reddish green tufted sedge 10- 20 cm tall. Culms smooth, circular in cross-section (terete), 0.5-1 mm diameter. Basal sheaths grey-brown or light brown,. Leaves > culms, up to 35 cm long, (1-)1.5(-2.2) mm wide, flat, concave or convex, red, margins scabrid (with teeth), tip curled. Inflorescence of 4-6 unstalked, closely-packed, 0.5-1(-1.5) cm × 3-5 mm, ovate or cylindrical spikes. Male spikes at the base, female at the top. Glumes = or < utricles (fruits), broadly ovate or oblong, pale brown with red markings, apex cleft, with the green midrib extending as a scabrid 2 mm long awn. Utricles c.2.5 × 1.3-1.5 mm, ovoid to rhomboid, 3-angled (trigonous) or irregularly inflated, yellowish with red near tip, beak minute (0.3 mm), black or dark brown. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1 × 1 mm, elliptic-obovoid, 3-angled, cream to dark brown.
Similar taxa
Allied to C. astonii (which is treated as a variety of C. druceana in Flora 2) from which it is distinguished by its wider leaves ((1-)1.5(-2.2) mm vs. 0.7-1.2 mm in C. astonii)), clustered rather than distant spikelets, and by its longer awns ( up to 2 mm, those of C. astonii up to 0.5 mm). C. astonii is confined to the Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges, while C. druceana extends to north west Nelson.
Flowering
No information available
Fruiting
No information available
Propagation technique
Easily grown by division and from fresh seed.
Threats
Carex druceana is probably not threatened but there are very few recent (>1980) collections.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
druceana: After A.P. Druce, one of New Zealand’s most respected field botanists
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (10 August 2006). Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)
References and further reading
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 druceana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-druceana/ (Date website was queried)