Schoenus apogon
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Sedges
Detailed description
Densely tufted, caespitose sedge. Culms numerous, 70–600 × 0.5–1.0 mm, densely packed at base, otherwise rather flaccid, unbranched, glabrous, occasionally finely scabrid just below inflorescence. Leaves 40–200–(600) mm long, usually <, rarely = culm length; yellow green to green, linear to very narrow-linear, acute, channelled, margins slightly scabrid; sheaths membranous, reddish to red-purple. Panicle of 2–3 distant, or ± approximate fascicles, the terminal usually with sessile to subsessile, densely clustered spikelets, lower fascicles, stalked, bearing loosely clustered spikelets; bract subtending each fascicle leaf-like, lowest bract overtopping whole inflorescence. Spikelets 4–6 mm long, 2–4-flowered. Glumes dark red, reddish purple to almost black, glossy, rarely pale cream near the slightly scabrid midrib, lower 1–3 glumes usually empty, often mucronate. Hypogynous bristles 6, > nut. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut slightly < 1.0 × 0.5 mm, white with the 3 angles green or yellow, elliptic-oblong, almost globose, obtuse, apiculate, surface when viewed with a lens, conspicuously cellular, individual cells large.
Similar taxa
Schoenus caespitans is very similar (and is regarded by some as a mere variety). From S. caespitans, S. apogon differs by its taller, more openly flaccid growth habit, culms up to 600 × 1 mm, leaves mostly less than, only rarely equal in length to the culms, 2–4-flowered spikelets that are 4–6 mm long (in S. caespitans the spikelets are 1–(2)-flowered and 3–5 mm long) and by the reddish glumes which are only rarely cream near the midrib, rather than distinctly, and centrally blotched cream. The surface of the nuts of S. apogon has conspicuous rather than distinctly smaller, minute cells.
Schoenus vacillans is also very similar but easy to recognise, in the field, the culms of S. vacillans seem to be a darker green and more flaccid than the lighter green and more erect culms of S. apogon. For information see the Schoenus vacillans factsheet.
Distribution
Indigenous. North and northern South Islands, also Chatham Island. Also in Australia, New Guinea and Japan.
Habitat
Coastal to montane (up to 500 m a.s.l.). Preferring open, seasonally damp or poorly drained ground, usually within gumland, tea tree scrub or within pakihi or on the margins of low moor peat bogs. Sometimes an invasive weed of rough or poorly drained pasture. Rarely on ultramafics.
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 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Chaetospora imberbis R.Br.; Schoenus imberbis (R.Br.) Poir; Schoenus laxiflorus Steud.; Schoenus brownii Hook.f.; Schoenus vacillans Kirk; Schoenus apogon var. laxiflorus (Steud.) C.B.Clarke
Taxonomic notes
Both Schoenus apogon and S. caespitans have the lowest known chromosome number for any indigenous vascular plant.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
August–April
Fruiting
September–June
Propagation technique
Easily grown from rooted pieces and fresh seed. An excellent pot plant. Quite tolerant of dry conditions as well as wet. Requires full sun.
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]
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
schoenus: Rush
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.
SCHAPO
Chromosome number
2n = 8
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 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and 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.