Gahnia pauciflora
Common names
cutting sedge
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Tufted, bright-green to yellow-green perennial sedge. Rootstock short and stout. Culms 0.6–1.8 m, 2–4 mm diameter (but up to 8 mm diameter at the base), occasionally with a single longitudinal groove. Leaves more or less equal in length to culms; lamina narrow-linear, up to 12 mm wide, bright green to yellow green, undersides harshly scabrid, margins more or less involute, strongly scabrid; sheaths up to 110 mm long, dull brown. Panicle arising well above leaves, 0.45–1.20 m long, drooping, branchlets comparatively few, about 3–5, in more or less distant clusters at each node, up to 200 mm long; secondary branchlets with few spikelets. Spikelets 2-flowered, 6–9 mm long, not clustered, shortly stalked or sessile. Glumes 6–10, dark brown, rather stiff; the lower 3–6 empty, their size increasing up the spikelet; upper 3–4 glumes enclosing fruit. Stamens 4–(5). Style branches 3–4. Nut 5.5–7.0 × 2.0–3.0 mm, brownish orange or sometimes yellow-cream, apex black, fusiform, subtrigonous, often grooved, subacute, narrowed to the width of the more or less persistent style-base, occasionally scaberulous; endocarp transversely grooved within.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the other Gahnia species by the smaller overall stature, loosely tufted habit, panicles held well above the foliage, and dark brown glumes with the lower glumes much shorter than the upper glumes. The brownish-orange or yellow-cream nuts with dark black tips are also diagnostic, and when chewed impart a distinct vanilla flavour.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, South Island (where confined to Nelson and Marlborough).
Habitat
Coastal to montane areas (up to 800 m a.s.l., possibly higher). usually in forest, more rarely in seral shrubland situations.
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.
- 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
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Gahnia hectori Kirk; Gahnia scaberula Col.; Gahnia parviflora Col.; Gahnia exigua Col.; Gahnia multiglumis Col.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–January
Fruiting
Fruits may be present throughout the year
Life cycle and dispersal
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.
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]
FACU: Facultative Upland
Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
gahnia: After Gahn
pauciflora: Few-flowered
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.
GAHPAU
Previous conservation statuses
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.
- 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.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Gardner RO. 1996. Gahnia pauciflora and G. procera and a note on G. lacera. Auckland Botanical Society Journal 51: 7–10.
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
Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (30 October 2005). 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): Gahnia pauciflora Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/gahnia-pauciflora/ (Date website was queried)