Centrolepis minima
Common name
centrolepis
Synonyms
Gaimardia minima (Kirk) Cheeseman; Pseudalepyrum minimum (Kirk) Dandy
Family
Restionaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
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.
CENMNM
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Dp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Westland, Canterbury, Southland, Fiordland).
Habitat
Lowland to subalpine. Aquatic or semi-aquatic, usually partially buried such that only the leaf tips are visible in fine sand and silt along the margin of lakes and small tarns.
Features
Annual, rather gracile and fine-leaved, loosely tufted, often partially or fully submerged herbs forming diffuse patches up to 20 mm high in fine sand and silt. Roots numerous, fine, > upper part of plant. Leaves 5–20 mm long, < 0.5 mm. wide, green or wine-red, crowded at stem base; sheaths transparent, glabrous, slightly wider than lamina. Flowering stems slightly < leaves, c.0.5 mm wide, bright red. Glume-like bracts 2, ± opposite, ovate, papillose, the outer mucronate, almost completely enclosing the smaller obtuse one; each bract enclosing 1, rarely 2 pseudanthia; hyaline scales 0. Male 1 or 0 in a pseudanthium, usually only 1 within each glume-like bract. Female 2–6, superposed in 2 series; styles connate at the base
Similar taxa
Recognised by the diffuse, tufted rather than cushion forming, annual rather than perennial growth habit and very fine, gracile, green or wine red, densely crowded glabrous leaves. Plants are easily overlooked as they are usually buried in sand or silt such that only the leaf tips are visible.
Flowering
January – March
Fruiting
March – April
Life cycle
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
A Naturally Uncommon, sparsely distributed, range-restricted endemic. There are no obvious threats though potentially it is threatened by introduced aquatic weeds at some sites.
Etymology
centrolepis: Pointed scale
minima: Very small
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet oprepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 August 2006. Description adapted from Moore & 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 11: 285-309
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Centrolepis minima Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/centrolepis-minima/ (Date website was queried)