Carex wakatipu
Common name
sedge
Synonyms
None
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.
CARWAK
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.
2017 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island except apparently Fiordland. Scarce in Westland.
Habitat
Mostly upper montane to alpine (450-1800 m a.s.l.). The most commonly encountered, large carex sedge found in snow-tussock (Chionochloa) grassland, though it can at times be abundant in short-tussock grassland. It has occasionally been collected from quite low altitudes (< 450 m a.s.l.) on lake margins.
Features
Shortly rhizomatous; very variable in size, tufts dark green, reddish green or yellow-green. Culms 40-500 × c.1 mm, subtrigonous, glabrous or occasionally faintly scabrid below inflorescence, sunk among the leaves or sometimes elongating far beyond the leaves and drooping; basal sheaths dark brown or red-purple, nerves ± distinct. Leaves 2-4 mm. wide, ± erect or spreading, channelled, margins scarcely scabrid at base with well-spaced teeth towards tip. Spikes 4(-6), closely packed, at about the same level on the culm; terminal spike male, much more slender than and usually > female spikes; female spikes male at the base and occasionally at the top, 10-20 × c.5 mm, shortly pedunculate. Glumes slightly < utricles, broadly ovate, usually emarginate, sometimes almost entire, occasionally red-brown, usually very light brown flecked with darker brown striae, membranous, midrib very broad, very pale brown, produced to a short scabrid awn. Utricles 2.5-3/0 × c.2.0 mm, plano-convex or unequally biconvex, broadly elliptic-ovoid, pale brown flecked with red-brown striae below, or darker brown throughout, occasionally almost black, turgid, nerved, margins usually glabrous; beak c.0.3 mm long with a broad, ciliate, shortly bifid orifice; stipe c.0.2 mm long. Stigmas 2. Nut slightly > 1.5 mm long, biconvex, almost orbicular
Similar taxa
Vegetatively Carex wakatipu is extremely variable. It is chiefly recognised by a combination of having dark green, yellow-green or reddish green channelled leaves which are distinctly keeled on the lower surface; a closely packed (congested) inflorescence with female spikes 10-20 × c.5 mm; and very broad glumes and utricles. The utricles are distinctly turgid. Nevertheless these characters encompass a wide range of variation with respect to growth habit, and whether or not the culms elongate at maturity of remain hidden within the leaves. Much of this variation appears genetic, and distinct races (some of which are sympatric) exist which could be segregated from this species.
Flowering
October - December
Fruiting
November - April
Life cycle
Nuts surrounded by inflated utricles are dispersed by granivory and wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from the division of whole plants and from fresh seed. Best suited for a well drained, sunny site but permanently damp situation. This species dislikes humidity.
Etymology
carex: Latin name for a species of sedge, now applied to the whole group.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Notes on taxonomy
Carex wakatipu as currently circumscribed is extremely variable and it is likely that further entities may be segregated from it in the near future.
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.
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 wakatipu Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/carex-wakatipu/ (Date website was queried)