Stenostachys enysii
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPS, DPT
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Grasses
Detailed description
Tufted, bronze-coloured, flat-leaved grass. Culm slender, drooping, inflorescence often hidden in foliage. Leaf-sheath 60–80 mm, covered in long hairs, these retrorse, erect or pubescent. Ligule 0.5–0.75 mm. Leaf-blade 200 × 2–4 mm, flat, soft, upper surface densely retrorse hairy or glabrous, undersides antrorsely prickle-toothed, margin prickle-toothed. Culm 250–800 mm. Inflorescence 50–130 mm, with 10–18 compact spikelets. Spikelets 10–16 mm, shining. Glumes abut equal, narrow 6–9 mm, 1–3-nerved, scabrid, becoming awn-like, margin prickle-toothed. Lemma 7–10 mm, > palea, glaucous, apex bifid, awn 1–3.5 mm, indented at base. Palea 6–9 mm, apex bifid. Rachilla 1–2 mm flared near apex. Callus 0.25 mm, blunt, surrounded by minute hairs. Description adapted from Edgar & Connor (2000).
Similar taxa
Well marked from other New Zealand wheat grasses, and distinguished from these by the small, close set, few-flowered , glossy spikelets, and bifid palea and lemma apices. Rare, sterile hybrids (Elymus ×wallii) are formed between it and Anthosachne solandri.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island only Nelson, then east of the main divide from Marlborough to Canterbury.
Habitat
Montane, subalpine to alpine (up to 1800 m a.s.l.), usually in shaded sites such as in and around boulders under rock overhangs, or in low scrub. Also in flushes within tussock grassland.
Threats
Old herbarium specimens suggest that this species was once more widespread at lower elevations, and at more open sites, which are now dominated by exotic grasses and weeds.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Agropyron enysii Kirk, Elymus enysii (Kirk) Á.Löve et Connor, Asprella aristata Petrie, Agropyron aristatum Cheeseman; Australopyrum enysii (Kirk) Connor
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
No information available
Fruiting
No information available
Life cycle and dispersal
Florets are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed and division of whole plants. Dislikes humid climates and can be tricky to flower at low altitudes.
Other information
Etymology
enysii: Named in honour of John Davies Enys (1837-1912), a Cornish geologist, biologist and farmer, who owned Castle Hill Station in Canterbury from 1867 to 1891.
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.
STEENY
Chromosome number
2n = 28
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Data Deficient
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Barkworth ME, Jacobs SWL. 2011: The Triticeae (Gramineae) in Australasia. Telopea 13: 37–56.
Edgar E, Connor HE. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Manaaki Whenua Press, Christchurch, NZ. 650 p.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange May 2004. Aadapted from Edgar & Connor (2000).
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Stenostachys enysii Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/stenostachys-enysii/ (Date website was queried)