Isolepis prolifera
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Culms 60–900 mm × 0.7–4.0 mm, in tufts, ± compressed, lax and soft, or narrower, terete and erect, leafless, bearing a single reddish basal sheath with dilated oblique orifice. Inflorescence an apparently lateral cluster of numerous spikelets, often proliferous with 1–4–(10) branchlets, 20–70 mm long, each sheathed at the base and bearing a further small head of spikelets; bract subtending inflorescence obtuse, < spikelets. Spikelets 2–10 × 1–2 mm, narrow-linear, cylindrical, green to light red-brown. Glumes 2.0–2.5 × c.1.0 mm, ovate- to oblong-lanceolate, subacute to very shortly apiculate, membranous, flecked with small, light red-brown striae, margins entire and keel pale brown or green, lateral nerves conspicuous. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut c. 1.0 × 0.5 mm, c. ½ length of glume, trigonous, sides convex between the slightly thickened angles, minutely apiculate and stipitate, creamy yellow, surface minutely reticulate.
Similar taxa
Similar to Isolepis inundata R.Br. and I. distigmatosa (C.B.Clarke) Edgar. It is distinguished from these species by its usually hyaline yellow-green glumes flecked with minute red-brown stripes, and complete absence of leaves. From I. distigmatosa it also differs by the 3 rather than 2 style-branches, and trigonous nuts,and from I. inundatus differs by the shorter, broader spikelets and 1–(2) instead of 3 stamens. Most forms of I. inundatus have at least some true leaves, I. prolifera is always leafless.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North, South and Chatham Islands. Also Australia, South Africa.
Habitat
Coastal to lower montane. Mostly in open, freshwater wetland systems—eutrophic or oligotrophic. Sometimes an aggressive weed in farm dams. Often invading poorly drained pasture and old cattle troughs. It is highly palatable to livestock which often wade out into wetlands seeking it.
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.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- 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: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Cyperaceae
Synonyms
Schoenoplectus prolifer (Rottb.) Palla; Scirpus prolifer Rottb.; Cyperus punctatus Lam., Isolepis erythronegma Steud.; Isolepis globosa Buchanan;
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October–January
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 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 but can become invasive in some situations.
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
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.
ISOPRO
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
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.