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  4. Carex silvestris

Carex silvestris

Tararua Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Leaf bases. Tararua Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Tararua Forest Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Tararua Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Scabrid leaf margin. Tararua Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Leaf tip. Tararua Range.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/01/2008, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

forest bastard grass, hook sedge

Synonyms

Uncinia silvestris Hamlin

Family

Cyperaceae

Authority

(Hamlin) K.A.Ford

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.

UNCSIL

Chromosome number

2n = 88

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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

Brief description

Carex silvestris (Hamlin) K.A.Ford

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand, North Island (Pureora and the Kaimai Range south), South and Stewart Islands

Habitat

Lowland to upper montane forest. Often rather local and probably warranting listing as Naturally Uncommon/Sparse.

Features

Bright green, densely caespitose plants. Culms 200.0-400.0 × c.0.5 mm, glabrous; basal bracts light cinnamon-brown or yellow-brown, not shining. Leaves 4-5 per culm, ± = or slightly > culms, 0.5-2.0 mm wide, bright green, tapering to a long filiform tip, scabrid on margins and on upper surface towards leaf-tip. Spikes 35-100 × 2–3 mm, often bracteate with the leaf-like bract much > spike, female flowers c.10–20, internodes 3-5 mm long towards base of spike, 1-2 mm long above. Glumes much < utricles, persistent, ovate, acute or subacute, membranous, very faintly nerved, midrib pale green. Utricles 3.5-5.0 mm long, slightly < 1 mm diameter, plano-convex, concavo-convex or subtrigonous, oblong or ovoid-lanceolate, light green, rarely greenish brown, membranous, few-nerved or smooth, stipe c.1 mm long, narrowed above to a distinct beak 1.0-1.5 mm long

Similar taxa

Distinguished from all other species with persistent glumes by the glabrous culms and glumes which are conspicuously shorter than the utricles( see also Carex egmontiana (Hamlin) K.A.Ford)

Flowering

October - November

Fruiting

November - February

Propagation technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of established plants. Prefers a permanently moist, peaty soil but will grow in most substrates. Best in semi-shade.

Etymology

carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.

silvestris: Of forests

Where To Buy

Not Commercially Available

Attribution

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.

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