Centrolepis strigosa
Common name
centrolepis
Synonyms
Desvauxia strigosa R.Br.
Family
Restionaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
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.
CENSTR
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.
2018 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: EF, RR, SO, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO, EF
2004 | Sparse
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North and South Islands. In the North Island known locally from the Kai Iwi Lakes, Glinks Gully and Bayly’s Beach (west of Dargaville) to Lake Ototoa (see de Lange 2011). In the South Island known only from near Bluff Hill and Invercargill. Also in Australia
Habitat
Coastal to lowland. Growing in open clay, sand or silty places in damp places near lake or pond margins, or on open sand pans within gumland scrub (see de Lange 2011).
Features
Delicate tufted annual 15-70 mm tall. Roots fine, fibrous (whole plant easily detached from soil). Leaves 10-30 x 0.2 mm, filiform, grey-green to green, hispid the surfaces being covered in long white, rigid, multicellular hairs; apices acicular, otherwise leaves broadening toward a membranous sheath. Flowering stems 20-65 x 0.4 mm, much longer than leaves, hispid with very fine somewhat tangled, white hairs. Glume-like bracts 2-3, these 3 mm long, green or pinkish-green with a narrow membranous margin, ovate and spreading, covered with long, rigid, multicellular hairs; awns glabrous 1 mm long with an acicular apex. Pseudanthia 4-8 in each bract, these almost equal to bracts in length, each with 3 hyaline, unequal, fringed scales, one very much shorter the other two of similar length, sheathing the male and female flowers, Male flowers set with 1 per partial inflorescence, females 4-8 per partial inflorescence, connate and superposed in 2 rows, or occasionally appearing spirally arranged. Styles not connate. Seed 0.5 mm long, brown with a dark tip at each end, obovate-oblong, blunt at the apex, surface finely reticulated.
Similar taxa
None. A very distinctive and singular species which has little resemblance to the other endemic New Zealand species (see Fact Sheets).
Flowering
December - February
Fruiting
December - 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, biologically sparse, seasonal annual. Although it has not been reliably reported from Bluff and Invercargill for many years it is probably still present there. It is seasonally abundant at the Kai Iwi Lakes (de Lange 2011).
Etymology
centrolepis: Pointed scale
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange 14 August 2006. Description based on Moore & Edgar (1970).
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J. 2011: Centrolepis strigosa - a rarely seen annual. Trilepidea 87: 7-9.
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II, Wellington, Government Printer.
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
Citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Centrolepis strigosa Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/centrolepis-strigosa/ (Date website was queried)