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  4. Gahnia lacera

Gahnia lacera

Under open forest among limestone boulders; near Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 17/11/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Kennedy Bay.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Kennedy Bay.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Dome Walkway.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 15/07/2006, 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>
Dome Walkway.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 15/07/2006, 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>
Gahnia lacera.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Gahnia lacera.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Stony Bay, Coromandel.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Date taken: 29/03/2013, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
In situ under pohutukawa, Shelly Beach, Kaipara Harbour.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 13/05/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fruits, Shelly Beach, Kaipara Harbour.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 13/05/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Under open forest among limestone boulders; near Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 17/11/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowering inflorescence (before fruit); in dry, open forest on limestone, near Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 17/11/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</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

cutty grass

Synonyms

Lampocarya lacera A.Rich.

Family

Cyperaceae

Authority

Gahnia lacera (A.Rich.) Steud.

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.

GAHLAC

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

Distribution

Endemic. North Island from Te Paki south to about Awakino in the west and East Cape in the East.

Habitat

Coastal to lowland (rarely extending up to 500 m a.s.l. in mountain ranges close to the sea). Colonising a variety of substrates which may be seasonally waterlogged thoughotherwise dry. Usually found in scrub or open forest.

Features

Stout, bambusiform, perennial sedge forming dense, yellowish-green tufts. Rhizome shortly creeping, 5-8 mm diameter, very hard, lignaceous, long persistent when dead. Culms 0.6-2.0 m, 2-4 but up to 6 mm diameter at the base. Leaves numerous, almost all cauline and = or > culms; lamina up to 380 mm long and 9 mm wide, yellow-green, green or dark green, flat or involute, glabrous, margins scabrid; sheaths all closely appressed to and enclosing base of culm, rugose above, maturing dark brown to almost black, smooth and glossy towards the node. Panicle 20-600 x 30-60 mm, rigid, usually erect, many-flowered, light brown with branchlets 20-160 mm long, usually in dense though more or less distant clusters along the axis of the panicle. Spikelets 1-flowered, 8 mm long, alternate on the branchlets, sessile or shortly stalked. Glumes 4-5; the outer 2-3 light red-brown; inner glumes pale cream, with a red lacerate apex. Stamens 4. Style-branches 3. Nut 3.5-4.5 mm long, slightly < 2 mm diameter, oblong-ellipsoid or oblong-obovoid, lustrous black, with a minute apiculate apex, endocarp obscurely transverse striate within.

Similar taxa

Immediately distinguished from all other Gahnia species and Morelotia affinis (Brong.) Blake by the rhizomatous habit, and stout, bamboo-like culms

Flowering

July - November

Fruiting

Fruits may be present throughout the year

Life cycle

Florets are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Propagation technique

Can be difficult to cultivate. The seed is difficult to germinate, and plants resent root disturbance and usually die if transplanted. However, considerable success has been achieved growing plants and/or germinating seed in untreated saw dust. Despite these problems this is an attractive species well worth attempting to grow. Once established it flourishes in a range of conditions but does best in full sun in a well drained or only seasonally wet soil.

Etymology

gahnia: After Gahn

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (30 October 2005). Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)

References and further reading

Gardner, R.O. 1996. Gahnia pauciflora and G. procera and a note on G. lacera. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 51: 7-10.

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): Gahnia lacera Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/gahnia-lacera/ (Date website was queried)

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