Isolepis pottsii
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Tufts leafy from an ascending rhizome c. 1 mm. diameter. Culms 60–400 mm × c. 0.5 mm. Leaves 1–4, usually < culms, c. 0.5 mm wide, linear, concavo-convex, sheath membranous with red-purple nerves, orifice truncate. Inflorescence apparently lateral, of (1)–4–(6) spikelets; subtending bract 10–40 mm long. Spikelets 2.5–4.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm, ovoid or elliptical. Glumes c. 1.5 mm. long, lanceolate, acute, dark red, almost black, or pale cream with red markings, keel green, strongly developed, excurrent. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens 1–(3). Style-branches 2, or 3. Nut c. 1 mm long, slightly > 0.5 mm, diameter, biconvex, rarely trigonous, elliptical, distinctly mucronate, dull yellow to yellow-brown, with minutely reticulate but glossy surface.
Similar taxa
Most likely to be confused with Isolepis distigmatosa (C.B.Clarke) Edgar from which it differs in its often strictly erect but more gracile growth habit, by having true leaves, much finer culms and leaves, fewer spikelets and 2–3 style-branches.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, South Island and Chatham Islands.
Habitat
A plant of boggy ground. In the northern part of its range virtually restricted to upland (> 500 m a.s.l.) cloud forest, subalpine scrub and and the fringes of bogs. Descending to lower elevations in the southern North Island, and South Islands, where it may be found on river banks, or in seepages within lowland forest. On the Chathams it has been collected from restiad bog.
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 | Data Deficient
Threats
Not Threatened but not that common either. Probably best regarded as biologically sparse.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Scirpus pottsii Cook
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November–December
Fruiting
December–April
Life cycle and dispersal
Nuts are dispersed by water and possibly granivory and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown in a damp site, or within a pot, from fresh seed and by the division of whole plants. However, tends to be short-lived and is probably only of interest to native plant specialists.
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]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
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.
ISOPOT
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
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.