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  4. Koeleria novozelandica

Koeleria novozelandica

In rocky dry streambed, Mount Cook, Canterbury.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 10/01/2021, 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>
Inflorescence. Rock and Pillar Range, Otago.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Spikelet, Mount Cook, Canterbury.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 10/01/2021, 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>
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Biostatus

Native – Endemic taxon

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Grasses

Detailed description

Extremely variable, slender, occasionally lush, tufted or very shortly rhizomatous perennial, of low to medium stature, 4–46–(82) cm, with leaves varying from greyish green to green and from tightly inrolled to flat, with erect culms and usually spike-like panicles, sometimes greatly overtopping leaves; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath abaxially glabrous, scabrid, pubescent or villous. Ligule membranous, truncate, often erose and/or somewhat ciliate, (0.2)–0.3–1.3 mm. Collar often thickened and paler near margins, often with long hairs on upper margins. Leaf-blade flat, folded or involute, linear to ± filiform, 3–15–(30) cm × 1–1.5 mm diam., or up to 2–(4) mm wide, abaxially glabrous, scabrid, pubescent or villous, adaxially ribbed, scabrid to densely villous, especially on ribs; margins ± scabrid, often with long hairs below, apex acute, hooded. Culm to 41–(66) cm, internodes entirely glabrous or frequently minutely pubescent below panicle, often scabrid to villous above and/or below nodes, very occasionally pubescent throughout. Panicle (2.0)–3.0–16 × 0.5–1.2 cm, spike-like or occasionally lanceolate, sometimes interrupted, with appressed-ascending branches; branches and pedicels glabrous, scabrid or pubescent to villous; bract subtending panicle glabrous, or often tipped by long hairs, or absent. Spikelets (3.8)–4.5–5.8–(7) mm, 2–3–(5)-flowered, light green, often purplish to brownish. Glumes subequal, membranous with wide hyaline margins above, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic; lower 3.0–4.8 mm, 1–3-nerved, upper 3.2–5.2 mm, 3–4-nerved. Lemma (3.0)–3.8–4.7–(5.5) mm, 3–5-nerved, oblong, narrow obovate, or lanceolate, acute, acuminate or occasionally obtuse, entire, mucronate or shortly awned (sometimes within one panicle), apex sometimes minutely bidentate; awn apical or subapical, to 1.5–(3.2) mm. Palea 3.5–4.3 mm, recurved from base, keel prickle-toothed above. Callus hairs (0.1)–0.2–0.5–(0.7) mm. Rachilla 0.6–1.5–(1.9) mm, hairs 0.2–1.4 mm; prolongation c. 1 mm, hairs short (0.3 mm). Lodicules 0.7–1.1 mm. Anthers 0.8–2.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.5–0.8 mm; stigma-styles 1–1.4 mm. Caryopsis c. 2 × 0.4 mm.

Distribution

.Endemic. North Island, Kaimanawa Mountains only. South Island common except in Westland and Fiordland

Habitat

A species of subalpine scrub, alpine fell field, rock outcrops, tussock grassland and stream margins. On wide range of rock substrates from limestone to ultramafic; (c. 100)–500–2000 m.

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

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Poaceae

Authority

Koeleria novozelandica Domin

Synonyms

Koeleria novozelandica var. typica Domin, K. novozelandica var. parvula Domin, K. superba Domin, K. gintlii Domin

Taxonomic notes

Koeleria novozelandica is very variable and this variation merits further study.

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Propagation technique

Easy from fresh seed and division of whole plants. Dislikes humidity and does best in a cool, airy, shaded site in well drained, damp soil. Best in an alpine house.

Other information

Etymology

koeleria: Named after George Ludwig Koeler (1765-1807), 18th century German botanist. Author of a work on the grasses of Germany and France, Descriptio graminum in Gallia et Germania (1802).

Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key

Key to the grasses of New Zealand

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.

KOENOV

Chromosome number

2n = 28

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

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Jump to current conservation status

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

Edgar E, Connor HE. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Christchurch, Manaaki Whenua Press. 650 p.

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange June 2005. Description modified from Edgar and Connor (2000).

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.

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Koeleria novozelandica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/koeleria-novozelandica/ (Date website was queried)

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