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  4. Gahnia setifolia

Gahnia setifolia

Gahnia setifolia.<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>
Mature fruit. Remutaka Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 17/12/2004, 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>
Eastbourne.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/09/1998, 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>
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 30/07/2006, 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>
Seeds of Gahnia setifolia.<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>
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 06/07/2005, 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>
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Common name

māpere, gahnia, giant gahnia, razor sedge

Synonyms

Lampocarya setifolia A.Rich.

Family

Cyperaceae

Authority

Gahnia setifolia (A.Rich.) Hook.f.

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.

GAHSET

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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 | Not Threatened

Previous conservation statuses

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Distribution

Endemic. North Island (throughout), South Island (Nelson and Marlborough Sounds)

Habitat

Coastal to montane (up to 780 m a.s.l. - possibly higher). Mostly in lowland areas in light forest, scrub along logging tracks in pine plantations and cut over indigenous forest and lining streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Sometimes colonising the fringes of swamps, bogs and mires.

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).

FACU: Facultative Upland

Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).

Features

Robust, large perennial sedge arising from a stout, lignaceous rootstock and forming tufts up to 3 m tall. Culms 10-15 mm diameter (but up to 20 mm at the base). leaves more or less = to culms in length; lamina dark green to yellow green above paler and often glaucous beneath, harshly scabrid, rugose, margins involute and scabrid with a few longitudinal rows of teeth just inside the margin on the upper lamina surface; sheaths up to 300 mm long, dull brownish-black. Panicle robust up to 1 m long, drooping, branches numerous, primary branchlets up to 400 mm long, Spikelets 2-flowered, 6-7 mm long, stalked, dark red-brown to blackish brown. Glumes 6-7; 3-4 outermost empty, 5-6 mm long, 3 inner glumes 4 mm long in young flowers white with a red-brown apex, becoming dark red-brown throughout as fruit matures. Stamens 4(-6). Style-branches 3. Nut 3.5-4.5 mm long, 1.9-2 mm diameter, elliptic-obovoid, smooth and glossy, yellow-cream at first, maturing reddish brown when fully ripe; endocarp transversely grooved within.

Similar taxa

Gahnia setifolia could only ever be confused with the other giants of the New Zealand species G. rigida Kirk and G. xanthocarpa (Hook.f.) Hook.f. Of these species G. setifolia most frequently grows with G. xanthocarpa which differs by its glossy light to dark green leaves, reddish brown spikelets which are > 7 mm long, and dark glossy black nuts which are > 5 mm long. From G. rigida, G. setifolia differs by its drooping rather than rigidly erect panicle and reddish brown rather than bicoloured light brown/dark brown nuts with black centres

Flowering

November - March

Fruiting

Fruits may be found 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

setifolia: With bristly leaves

Cultural Use/Importance

Mapere is often known as razor sedge on account of its wickedly sharp leaves which are a constant hazard to those pushing tracks through places where this species has become well established. Mapere flourishes on damp clay and other forest soils, such as those left exposed following logging operations.

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. 1995. Identifying Gahnia setifolia and G. xanthocarpa. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 50: 82-83.

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

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