Lepidosperma neozelandicum
Common names
fountain sedge, fountain grass
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Stout, rush-like sedge forming dense yellow-green tussocks up to 2 m tall. Culms terete, numerous, densely packed, wiry, erect with upper third often arching, 0.5–2.0 m tall, 1–2 mm wide. Leaves all reduced to closely appressed, reddish to maroon sheaths, with a subulate, almost filiform lamina 5–20 mm long. Inflorescence a simple or rarely branched spike 30–90 mm long. Spikelets 10 mm, not fascicled, 2-flowered, with only the upper flower fertile; bracts subtending spikelets membranous, grey-brown, nerved, more or less equal spikelets in length. Glumes 4–6, narrow- or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, with dark brown centre and pale membranous margins. Hypogynous scales 6, 1 mm long, white, triangular when mature, fused at the base into a cup. Nut (rarely seen) 4 × 1.5 mm, oblong, trigonous, green with white thickened obtuse angles; persistent style-base small, creamy brown, pubescent, occasionally minutely apiculate.
Similar taxa
Most likely to be confused with Schoenus brevifolius and S. tendo which have a superficially similar growth habit and often grow with Lepidosperma neozelandicum. Schoenus brevifolius differs by its sterile culm tips which are distinctly pinched-in near the tip, so leaving a small arrow-shaped head (see fact sheet for that species), and larger, dark brown inflorescences with dark red-brown, flattened pendulous spikelets, bearing numerous, smaller (1.5 × 1.1 mm) turgid, white nuts. Schoenus tendo differs by the distinctly floppy/flaccid culms, whose sheath orifices are distinctly cobwebby ciliate, and by the more open, pendulous, inflorescences with dark brown spikelets and smaller(1.5 × 1.0 mm), frequently produced, unequally biconvex, obovoid, obtuse to retuse pale cream to brown nuts.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Te Paki to about Whangarei, thence scattered to Opuatia wetlands in the northern Waikato); South Island (north-west Nelson from Puponga to the Mangarakau Swamp).
Habitat
Coastal to lowland. Often on poorly drained clay soils on low hill country but also widespread in gumland habitats, and on damp sandy flats and in peat bogs (especially in Northland). This species is also abundant on the ultramafic soils of the Surville Cliffs, Te Paki, Northland. Often found as the main sedge species under far north shrubland dominated by Kunzea Rchb. and Leptospermum J.R.Forst. et G.Forst.
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, PD
Threats
Declining through loss of habitat following conversion of gumland and lowland scrub and wetlands to farmland and urban areas. Lepidosperma neozelandicum is still common in some parts of the far north of the North Island (especially Te Paki, Ahipara and Lake Ohia) and in North West Nelson but it has been lost from much of the southern part of its North Island range and this decline is ongoing.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Lepidosperma filiforme Labill. auct. non.; Lepidosperma filiforme var. neozelandicum (Kük.)
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October–January
Fruiting
December–May (fruits very rarely seen)
Life cycle and dispersal
Scaly nuts are dispersed by water, wind and possibly ants (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Very difficult to cultivate. Seed difficult to germinate. Plants resent root disturbance and usually die if transplanted. However, considerable success has been achieved growing plants and germinating seed in untreated saw dust. Nevertheless, this is an attractive species to grown in a sunny situation, preferring poorly drained clay soils.
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
Extra information
Nuts are very rarely produced by New Zealand plants probably because most inflorescences are infected by Lepidosperma smut (Moreaua rodwayi). The reproductive ecology of this species would make an interesting study.
Etymology
lepidosperma: Scale seed
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Barrett RL, Wilson KL. 2012. A review of the genus Lepidosperma Labill. (Cyperaceae; Schoeneae). Australian Systematic Botany 25(4): 225–294. https://doi.org/10.1071/SB11037.
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
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 6 August 2006. Description adapted from Moore & 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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Lepidosperma neozelandicum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lepidosperma-neozelandicum/ (Date website was queried)