The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Chionochloa nivifera

Etymology

Chionochloa: snow grass

Common Name(s)

Fiordland snow tussock

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Chionochloa nivifera Connor et K.M.Lloyd

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CHINIV

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

None (first described in 2004)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (south-eastern Fiordland)

Habitat

Alpine, in short Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. torta Connor grassland.

Features

Short dark green snow tussock of densely aggregated, compressed, suberect to ± prostrate shoots from a sheath-covered old low-creeping prone stout stem, of 1-3 finely pointed leaves accumulating and weathering in situ. Leaf-sheath 30-100 mm, strongly keeled above, reddish purple below becoming stramineous, persistent, inter-rib hairs minute; margin usually somewhat wavy, short hairy above or not; apical tuft of hair 0.5-1.0 mm or absent. Ligule narrow, to 0.25 mm. Leaf-blade to 300 × 2 mm, prominently keeled below as in leaf-sheath, strongly compressed, becoming flat, 3-5 mm wide, thin and weak, persistent, abaxially glabrous except for prickle-teeth on keel towards long fine twisting apex, adaxially prickle-toothed on nerves, margin with long hairs below and prickle-teeth above or hairs absent. Culm to 350 mm, glabrous, compressed, < leaves; sheath heavily nerved and sometimes empurpled. Inflorescence 60-100 mm, laxly open, pulvinate, of 11-20 solitary spikelets on long glabrous drooping branches and pedicels, naked below, occasionally 1-2 hairs below spikelet. Spikelet 8-10 mm long, of 3-5 florets, with awns flexed inwards and intercrossing. Glumes unequal, glabrous except for occasional long hairs at base of upper glume, occasionally mucronate, < adjacent lemma lobes; lower to 5 mm, 3–5-nerved, upper to 7 mm, 7-nerved. Lemma 3-6 mm; hairs dense at margin and aside central nerve, scattered and fewer elsewhere though sometimes in all internerves, greater than or equal to sinus; lateral lobes 2–3.5 mm, triangular–acute, or awned to 1.5 mm, apex ciliate; central awn 4 mm flexed inwards from flat or slightly rotating column 0.50-0.75 mm, tip sometimes hooked. Palea 3.5-5.5 mm, ~ tip of lemma lobes, pointed or shallowly bifid, apex ciliate; keels long ciliate above glabrous below; flanks long hairy below. Callus 0.6-1.0 mm; hairs 2–3 mm. Rachilla 0.50-0.75 mm, glabrous. Lodicules 1.0 mm including hairs to 0.6 mm. Anthers 2.5 mm, empurpled. Ovary 0.75 mm; stigma-style 2.5 mm. Seeds 2.0-2.5 mm.

Similar Taxa

Allied to Chionochloa macra Zotov and C. pallens Zotov. Both C. nivifera and C. pallens are distinguished from C. macra by the leaf-sheath which is keeled rather than rounded and either keeled or compressed leaf-blades. Chionochloa nivifera is distinguished from C. pallens by the strongly compressed, weak rather than keeled and tough leaf-blades, and by the glabrous, flexuous and drooping inflorescence branches. The inflorescence branches of C. pallens are hairy and erect.

Flowering

Unknown - insufficiently studied and collected

Fruiting

Unknown - insufficiently studied and collected

Propagation Technique

Difficult - except in cooler climates. It has been successfully cultivated in Dunedin and at Landcare Research Lincoln but proved impossible to maintain in Auckland. Dislikes drought and humidity.

Threats

Range Restricted - known from only a few locations where it can be at times locally common. However, the total area it occupies is very small. There are no known threats and further, as a newly described species from a remote part of New Zealand, it is likely to prove more widespread as this part of the country becomes better explored.

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Florets are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 2 Jun 2014