Carex lambertiana
Common name
forest sedge
Synonyms
Carex dissita Boott var. lambertiana (Boott) Cheeseman
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.
CARLAM
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
Endemic. New Zealand: North and South Islands. In the North Island abundant from Te Paki to about the southern Waikato, otherwise uncommon. In the South Island known from Nelson, Marlborough and northern Canterbury.
Habitat
Coastal to montane. Usually in relatively open but shaded sites within tall forest or in riparian forest along riversides and on river terraces. Sometimes establishes in parks within urban areas
Features
Tufts robust, leafy, 0.6–1.0 m tall. Culms 1–2 mm diameter, trigonous, smooth; basal sheaths dark grey-brown or purple-black. Leaves ± = culms, 3–6 mm wide, double-folded, bright green or yellow-green, margins finely scabrid. Spikes 5–8; terminal 1(-3) spikes male; remaining spikes female, often male at the base, 15-50 × 5-7 mm, cylindrical, uppermost spikes approximate and sessile, lower spikes more distant, erect, on short, stiff peduncles. Glumes (excluding awn) ± = utricles, ovate, pinkish brown to chestnut-brown, membranous, hyaline margins often very broad, tip deeply emarginate, the light green or brown midrib produced to a scabrid awn. Utricles 2.5–3.5 × c.1.5 mm, biconvex, obovoid, turgid, usually dark brown to almost purple-black throughout with distinct, paler brown nerves, shining; beak slightly < 1 mm long, bifid, with very divergent crura, margins and orifice scabrid. Stigmas 3. Nut c.1.5 mm long, trigonous, light to dark brown, surface minutely pitted.
Similar taxa
Carex lambertiana often grows with C. dissita Sol. ex Boott, C. ochrosaccus (Cheeseman) Hamlin, and C. solandri Boott. Of these species it is most similar to C. dissita from which it differs by the stouter, more robust habit, larger spikelets usually erect, shortly pedunculate spikelets bearing more numerous flowers and utricles; obovoid rather than ovoid utricles, and glumes which have deeply emarginate apices. From C. ochrosaccus with which it often grows, it differs by the longer, darker brown to almost purple black utricles and by the glumes which have deeply emarginate tips. Carex lambertiana could also be confused with C. solandri from which it is easily distinguished by the usually short rather than long pedunculate, erect rather than pendulous, spikelets
Flowering
September - December
Fruiting
Throughout the year
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by the division of established plants. A far superior species to the widely cultivated C. dissita, which deserves to be more widely grown. It does best in partial shade, within a rich, free draining soil. This species occasionally naturalises in urban areas.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (31 August 2006): Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970) - see also de Lange et al. (2010).
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 lambertiana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-lambertiana/ (Date website was queried)