Morelotia affinis
Common name
morelotia
Synonyms
Lampocarya affinis Brong.; Morelotia gahniaeformus Gaud. var. minor A.Rich.; Gahnia arenaria Hook.f.; Mariscus affinis (Brong.) Kuntze; Machaerina affinis (Brong.) Kern
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.
MORAFF
Chromosome number
2n = 46
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). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By 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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Islands from Te Paki south to south-west Nelson.
Habitat
Coastal to montane. usually on steep clay banks and hillsides in gumland scrub, shrublands and other regenerating mainly indigenous vegetation. Sometimes in pine plantations. Also colonising steep rock faces, gorges and boulder falls.
Features
Harsh, leafy tufted perennial sedge 200-700 mm tall. Rootstock, stout, lignaceous. Leaves numerous, » culms, 200-620 x 4-8 mm, green to yellow-green (rarely dark green), flat, curving, scabrid on the abaxial, tapering to a filiform apex, this usually curled when dry; margins scabrid, strongly revolute in the long persistent dry old leaves; sheath rather short compared to lamina, not demarcated from lamina by any transverse line but merely becoming broader, cream, with membranous margins. Panicle erect, rigid, 60-300 mm long, with short, more or less distant branchlets subtended by rigid, scabrid, leaf-like bracts. Spikelets 6.5-10.0 mm long, narrow-lanceolate, shortly stalked. Glumes coriaceous, minutely puberulous, keel and margins finely scabrid; 4 outer glumes smaller, increasing in size, usually acuminate, 2 upper glumes much longer, acute, rigid; a seventh minute membranous glume subtending the uppermost sterile flower. Nut 2.5-3.0 x 1.5 mm, elliptic-oblong, lustrous red-brown to black, with 3 longitudinal ribs, surmounted by a thickened, corky style-base which is very distinct in the immature fruit; ripe fruit retained on plant for a time by being entangled in the slightly elongated staminal filaments.
Similar taxa
Rather close to Gahnia J.R.Forst. et G.Forst. form which it is best distinguished by the smaller stature and by the distichous arrangement of the glumes. Some botanists regard Morelotia as indistinguishable from Gahnia, treating the New Zealand plant as Gahnia affinis (Brong.) Steud.
Flowering
October - December
Fruiting
November - April (but old inflorescences present throughout the year)
Propagation technique
Very difficult to cultivate. The seed is difficult to germinate and plants resent root disturbance, so usually die if transplanted. However, considerable success has been achieved growing plants and germinating seed in untreated saw dust. Although tricky this is a species worth persevering with, as it has an attractive form and once established is very drought resistant. It does best in full sun on rock or planted within a poorly drained clay soils.
Etymology
affinis: From the Latin ad + finis ‘to the boundary’, means ‘neighbouring’, ‘allied to’, ‘akin to’
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)
References and further reading
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.