Rytidosperma thomsonii
Synonyms
Danthonia thomsonii Buchanan, Triodia thomsonii (Buchanan) Petrie, Notodanthonia thomsonii (Buchanan) Zotov
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.
RYTTHO
Chromosome number
2n = 24, 48
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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Data Deficient
2009 | Data Deficient
2004 | Not Threatened
Simplified description
Recognition in the field: a medium stature Rytidosperma with erect culms, crowded dark spikes and florets with very short awn. The hairs on the lemma are only in two tufts on the margin.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (east of the main divide south to Otago).
Habitat
A species of dry lowland and montane grassland.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Similar taxa
Similar to larger plants of Rytidosperma pumilum (which shares its habitat) which has scattered hairs on the lemma between the tufts and the awn is not visible to the naked eye. Also similar to R. buchananii which has a long bent awn on the floret.
Fruiting
January
Etymology
rytidosperma: Wrinkled seed
thomsonii: After Thomson
Taxonomic notes
There is good morphological and cytogenetic evidence that R. thomsonii could be split into at least two species