Isolepis caligenis
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Bright green, rhizomatous, leafy, tufted plants. Tufts usually distant. Rhizome c. 0.5 mm diameter. Culms 10–100 × c. 0.5 mm, stiff. Leaves 2–5, usually 1 at least > culm, c. 0.5 mm wide, often curved, concave-convex, plano-convex; lowermost leaves reduced to brown fibrillose sheaths. Inflorescence of 1–(2) spikelets; subtending bract much > spikelet; up to 30 mm, long. Spikelets 2–5 × 1–4 mm, ovate-elliptical to suborbicular, pale green to pale brown. Glumes numerous, 1.5–2.5 mm long, white and membranous, acute, occasionally with a red-brown patch on either side, or with minute dots towards apex, keel green, usually excurrent; 2 lowermost glumes frequently larger than rest, to 3.5 mm long, the lower with much extended keel. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens 1–3. Style-branches 2–3. Nut c. 1 mm long, slightly < 1 mm wide, suborbicular, unequally biconvex, compressed with edges flattened, apiculate, surface pearly grey, finely reticulate, appearing smooth.
Similar taxa
Easily recognised by bright green, stiffly erect, leafy tufts; culms mostly > 20 mm tall; by the conspicuous, large, whitish spikelets (usually > 3 mm wide); and pearl-grey, compressed nut. Most similar to Isolepis basilaris Hook.f. which differs by the usually shorter culms; spikelets < 2 mm wide; and by the dorsally rounded, dark brown to almost black nut.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, South Islands, from the Kaimanawa Range south to at least Otago.
Habitat
Mostly montane (700–1400 m a.s.l.). In damp ground within forest, and on the margins of streams and lakes. Usually in shaded sites.
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 | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Scirpus caligenis var. tristigmatosa V.J.Cook, Scirpus caligenis V.J.Cook
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October–December
Fruiting
December–May
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed, and from rooted pieces. Prefers a cool, shady, permanently damp site. Best grown in a pot. Dislikes humid climates.
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
Where To Buy
Not Commercially available
Etymology
isolepis: From the Greek isos (equal) and lepis (scale)
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.
ISOCAL
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 | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Johnson AT, Smith HA. 1986. Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd, Buckenhill, UK.
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.