Poa sudicola
Synonyms
None
Family
Poaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Grasses
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
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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, ST
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
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.
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.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Similar taxa
Possibly closest to P. novae-zelandiae and P. subvestita but distinguished from both by the very long creeping rhizomes.
Flowering
Unknown
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
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.
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.
Etymology
poa: Meadow grass
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 23 January 2004. Description adapted from Edgar (1986).
References and further reading
Edgar E. 1986. Poa L. in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24: 425–503.
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)