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  4. Stenostachys gracilis

Stenostachys gracilis

Stenostachys gracilis.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Inflorescence (part). Cultivated, ex. Macraes.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Spikelets. Cultivated. Ex Macraes.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved.
Spikelet, Doughboy Bay Stewart Island.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 26/01/2021, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowring spikelet, Doughboy Bay Stewart Island.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 26/01/2021, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Synonyms

Gymnostichum gracile Hook.f.; Hystrix gracilis (Hook.f.) Kuntze; Asprella gracilis (Hook.f.) Kirk; Cockaynae gracilis (Hook.f.) Zotov; Stenostachys narduroides Turcz.; Elymus narduroides (Turcz.) Á.Löve et Connor; Agropyron subeglume P.Candargy

Family

Poaceae

Authority

Stenostachys gracilis (Hook.f.) Connor

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

Yes

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.

STEGRC

Chromosome number

2n = 28

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

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). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By 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.

2012 | Not Threatened

Previous conservation statuses

2009 | Data Deficient

2004 | Not Threatened

Distribution

Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands. Uncommon north of the Central Volcanic Plateau

Habitat

Coastal to montane (0-1000 m a.s.l.). In estuarine habitats, at gully and valley heads, on clay banks and along stream sides in tall forest. Also in shrublands. occasionally found in tussock grassland.

Features

Perennial, stoloniferous, green, glaucous or yellow-green grass forming open to densely tufted, wide somewhat flat-leaved patches with long nodding inflorescences; often very stout in forested areas. Leaf-sheath 50-150 mm, with long (0.5-1.0 mm) hairs irregularly retrorse or erect, occasionally glabrate or glabrous. Auricles to 0.5 mm or minute, scarcely clasping. Ligule 0.3-1.0 mm, erose. Leaf-blade 100-200 x 1.5-2.0 mm, flat, thin, usually with hairs 0.5-1.0 mm or bearing sparse prickle-teeth above and glabrous below; margins glabrous. Culm 0.7-1.2 m long, slender, nodes evident sometimes ± geniculate, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence slender, narrow 100-300 mm, glaucous or somewhat powdery greyish white, comprised of 15-40 spikelets > internodes; internodes 2-5 mm but longer at base; rachis prolongation 2-6 mm. Spikelets to 10 mm, of 1-3 forests, on 1.0-1.5 mm stipes in the absence of glumes; rachilla prolongation 1.5-3.0 mm, conspicuously short stiffly hairy. Glumes 0, sometimes 1-2 and awn-like, 0-3 mm, very rarely 5-6 mm above, 1-nerved, prickle-toothed, much less than spikelets in length. Lemma 7-10 mm, prickle-teeth abundant, weakly keeled, infrequently bifid at apex, canaliculated above, tapering to awn 1.5-6.0 mm. Palea 5-7 mm, < lemma, apex usually prolonged or retuse; keels toothed and usually inrolled, Callus short, 0.5 mm, surrounded by abundant short stiff hairs; disarticulation ± oblique. Rachilla 1.5-2.5 mm, shortly prickle-toothed. Lodicules 0.75-1.00 mm. Anthers 1.5-2.0 mm, often retained as a remnant surmounting the seed apex. Ovary 1.25-1.40 mm; stigma-styles 1.5-2.0 mm. Seed 4.00-4.25 mm. Flowers mostly cleistogamous.

Similar taxa

Distinguished from S. deceptorix Connor and S. laevis (Petrie) Connor by the mixtures of minute, absent or awn-like glumes in the inflorescence (rather than solely awn-like), and by the lemma which is conspicuously prickle-toothed rather than mostly smooth or sparingly prickel-toothed.

Flowering

September - January

Fruiting

November - May

Propagation technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a semi-shaded site, planted in damp soil. Very attractive when in flower and fruit.

Threats

Not Threatened. However, scarce north of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Etymology

gracilis: Slender

Where To Buy

Not commercially available.

Attribution

Description modified from Edgar and Connor (2000).

References and further reading

Edgar, E.; Connor, H.E. 2000: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Christchurch, Manaaki Whenua Press. 650 pp.

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