Isolepis distigmatosa
Synonyms
Scirpus sulcatus var. distigmatosus C.B.Clarke in Cheeseman
Family
Cyperaceae
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.
ISODIS
Current conservation status
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) – 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.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. Department of Conservation. 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, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands.
Habitat
Coastal to montane in fresh water wetlands (eutrophic to oligotrophic). Often forming a floating sud around lake, pond and stream margins. Sometimes colonising old water troughs and damp pasture.
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).
Detailed description
Culms 100–500 × < 1.0–1.5 mm, tufted, leafless except for a single, basal, red-purple sheath. Inflorescence an apparently lateral, solitary head of numerous densely packed spikelets, often proliferous with 1–3 very slender branchlets each bearing a cluster of spikelets; bract subtending inflorescence variable in length, often > spikelets. Spikelets 3–5–(7) × 2–3 mm, oblong or elliptical, red-brown. Glumes c. 2 mm long, ovate to obovate, subacute to obtuse, flattened at apex beside keel, light greenish-brown with red markings to almost entirely dark red-purple, with numerous, often distinct, light brown nerves; keel rather narrow, usually prominent only in upper part of glume, occasionally slightly excurrent; hyaline margins entire, usually conspicuous. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens usually 1, rarely 2-3 in lower flowers of spikelet. Style-branches 2, very rarely 3. Nut c. 1 mm long, slightly > 0.5 mm diameter, < glume, plano-convex or biconvex, obovoid, minutely apiculate with a dark tip, cream to light grey-brown, surface shining but minutely reticulate.
Similar taxa
Close to Isolepis inundata R.Br. and I. prolifer (Rottb.) R.Br. in having no true leaves but only sheathing bracts. It is distinguished from these species by its usually reddish glumes, 2 rather than 3 style-branches, and plano-convex nuts.
Flowering
October–January
Fruiting
December–April
Life cycle
Nuts are dispersed by water and possibly granivory and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and by division of whole plants. Once established rather tolerant of a range of conditions but flourishes best in full sun in a permanently damp soil. An attractive pot plant.
Etymology
isolepis: From the Greek isos (equal) and lepis (scale)
distigmatosa: With two stigmas
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
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.
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.