Carex fascicularis
Common name
sedge
Synonyms
Carex forsteri Wahl. var. fascicularis (Boott) Hook.f.; Carex pseudocyperus L. var. Fascicularis (Boott) 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.
CARFAS
Current conservation status
The threat classification 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. 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. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2018 | At Risk – Declining
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP, SO, Sp
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North and South Islands. In the north abundant to about the Waikato then scarce to about Mokau. In the South Island known only from Rarangi. Present also in Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.
Habitat
Coastal to lowland in freshwater wetlands, under willow in gully systems, along river and stream banks, lake margins, and in damp seepages, pond margins and clearings within forest. Preferring fertile to mid-fertile wetlands.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland).
OBL: Obligate Wetland
Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).
Features
Stout, tufted, somewhat soft, pale green to yellow-green sedge. Culms 0.6-1.1 m tall, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, triquetrous, very finely scabrid; basal sheaths grey. Leaves rather > culms, 4-13 mm wide, double-folded, with prominent cross-veinlets on lamina and sheath. Spikes 4-6; uppermost 1(-2) spikes male; remaining spikes female, 20-70. × 8–11 mm, usually slightly < male spikes, ± distant, pedunculate, pendulous. Glumes (excluding awn) c.½ length of utricle, lanceolate, light brown, margins of upper half fimbriate or lacerate, midrib produced to a scabrid awn ± = glume in length. Utricles 4.0-6.0 × 1.0-1.5 mm, subtrigonous or inflated and biconvex, ovoid, distinctly nerved, light green, strongly reflexed; beak 1.5-2.0 mm long, entirely glabrous; stipe c.1 mm long, abruptly narrowed. Stigmas 3. Nut 1.5-2.0 mm long, trigonous with thickened angles, obovoid, pale yellow-brown.
Similar taxa
Carex fascicularis is easily recognised by its stout culms; pale green to yellow green wide leaves; prominent cross-veinlets on sheaths and leaves; initially pendent spikelets, very short glumes with lacerate or fimbriate margins; and by the submembranous, strongly nerved, glabrous, spreading utricles. There are only two other carices in New Zealand with cross-veinlets, the indigenous C. maorica Hamlin and naturalised C. lurida Wahlenberg. Carex maorica differs from C. fascicularis by the female spikes mostly sessile rather than pendent, and normally clustered at one level near the base of the male spike rather than mostly distant to ± approximate (but then never clustered at one level round base of male spike). Carex lurida is a much larger sedge than either species (up to 2.5 m tall) and has utricles 6-9 × 2-4 rather than 4.0-6.0 × 1.0-1.5 mm
Flowering
October - December
Fruiting
November - May
Life cycle
Nuts surrounded by inflated utricles are dispersed by granivory and wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants. Although a wetland species C. fascicularis will grow well in most soils and moisture regimes. Does best in full sun.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (110 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.
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 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Carex fascicularis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-fascicularis/ (Date website was queried)