Eleocharis gracilis
Common names
slender spike sedge
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Terrestrial or semi-aquatic sedge forming green to red-green tufts. Rhizomes widely creeping, 1–3 mm diameter, loosely ensheathed at each nodes by conspicuous dark maroon, obtuse bracts with broad membranous margins. Culms densely tufted to widely spaced (or set close together in a linear series), 20–400 × 0.5 mm, erect or curved; sheaths membranous, with maroon to purple markings and an oblique orifice. Spikelets conspicuous, 3–8 × 1–4 mm, 5–20-flowered, ovoid to almost lanceolate, subacute. Glumes oblong, obtuse, 1-nerved, membranous, margins often very broad. Hypogynous bristles 4–8, usually > nut. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid. Nut slightly < 1.5 mm long, slightly < 1 mm diameter, trigonous, obovoid, light to dark brown, smooth, surmounted by the pyramidal, persistent style-base.
Similar taxa
Most likely to be confused with Eleocharis pusilla R.Br. from which it differs by widely creeping rather than ascending rhizome; by the spikelets > 3 mm long (rather than 2.5–3 mm long); hypogynous bristles 4–8 (rather than absent or occasionally 2–3); and by the smooth nut (rather than nut with the surface covered in prominent vertical ribs and fine transverse bars). Eleocharis gracilis and E. pusilla may at times be sympatric.
Distribution
Indigenous. In New Zealand present in the North Island, South Island, Chatham Islands and Stewart Island/Rakiura. Present in Australia and Norfolk Island.
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine. A species of usually open situations on permanently damp ground such as lake, pond, tarn, stream and river sides, and wetlands.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Cyperaceae
Synonyms
Eleocharis gracilis R.Br. var. gracillima Hook.f.; Eleocharis gracilis R.Br. var. radicans Hook.f.; Eleocharis cunninghamii Boeck.; Eleocharis gracillima (Hook.f.) Hook.f.; Eleocharis hookeri Boeck.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
August–January
Fruiting
October–May
Life cycle and dispersal
Bristly nuts are dispersed by water and possibly wind and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a permanently damp situation in full sun.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
OBL: Obligate Wetland
Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
eleocharis: Charm of the swamp
gracilis: Slender
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.
ELEGRA
Chromosome number
2n = 20
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309.
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Eleocharis gracilis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/eleocharis-gracilis/ (Date website was queried)