Poa sudicola
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Grasses
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
Detailed description
Long-rhizomatous, greyish-green, tufted grass with persistent leaf-blades. Leaf-sheath light greenish-brown, flushed purple, keeled with few prominent ribs. Ligule 0.5–1–(1.5) mm, hairless, entire, truncate, inner surface minutely puberulent-scabrid. Leaf-blade (20)–50–90–(120) mm, inrolled, 1 mm diam., wiry, virtually hairless. Culm 100–250 mm, slender, internodes hairless. Inflorescence a sparingly branched panicle 20–450–600 mm. Spikelets 6–9 mm, 3–4-flowered, greenish brown. Glumes subequal, acute to subobtuse; lower (3)–3.5–4 mm, 1–3-nerved, narrow elliptic, upper (3.5)–4–4.5 mm, 3–5-nerved, broadly ovate. Lemma 4.5–5–(6) mm, 5–7–(9)-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, acute membranous, margins enitre. Palea 3.4–(5) mm.
Similar taxa
Possibly closest to P. novae-zelandiae and P. subvestita but distinguished from both by the very long creeping rhizomes.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island, North West Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Matiri Range. Known from only two sites.
Habitat
Subalpine grass inhabiting limestone scree and steep calcaerous mudstone slopes.
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
Threats
Known from just two small areas, where it is not very common. The species is dioecious and both male and female plants are known but seed has never been seen. The exact sex-ratio of the wild populations has not been determined, and as the species is rhizomatous the possibility that much of the observed plants are clones needs to be considered.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Poaceae
Synonyms
None
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Unknown
Fruiting
Unknown
Propagation technique
Can be grown from division of whole plants, and stem cuttings. Seed has never been seen in the wild so its germination requirements remain uncertain. Has proved difficult to maintain in cultivation.
Other information
Etymology
poa: Meadow grass
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
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.
POASUD
Chromosome number
2n = 28
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, ST
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Edgar E. 1986. Poa L. in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24: 425–503.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 23 January 2004. Description adapted from Edgar (1986).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Poa sudicola Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/poa-sudicola/ (Date website was queried)