Species

Eleocharis gracilis

Etymology

Eleocharis: charm of the swamp
gracilis: slender

Common Name(s)

slender spike sedge

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

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 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Eleocharis gracilis R.Br.

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ELEGRA

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.

Structural Class

Sedges

Synonyms

Eleocharis gracilis R.Br. var. gracillima Hook.f.; Eleocharis gracilis R.Br. var. radicans Hook.f.; Eleocharis cunninghamii Boeck.; Eleocharis gracillima (Hook.f.) Hook.f.; Eleocharis hookeri Boeck.

Distribution

Indigenous. In New Zealand present in the North, South, Chatham and Stewart Islands. Present in Australia and Norfolk Island.

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine. A species of usually open situations on permanently damp ground such as lake, pond, tarn, stream and river sides, and wetlands.

Features

Terrestrial or semi-aquatic sedge forming green to red-green tufts. Rhizomes widely creeping, 1-3 mm diameter, loosely ensheathed at each nodes by conspicuous dark maroon, obtuse bracts with broad membranous margins. Culms densely tufted to widely spaced (or set close together in a linear series), 20.0-400.0 x 0.5 mm, erect or curved; sheaths membranous, with maroon to purple markings and an oblique orifice. Spikelets conspicuous, 3-8 x 1-4 mm, 5-20-flowered, ovoid to almost lanceolate, subacute. Glumes oblong, obtuse, 1-nerved, membranous, margins often very broad. Hypogynous bristles 4-8, usually > nut. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid. Nut slightly < 1.5 mm long, slightly , 1 mm diameter, trigonous, obovoid, light to dark brown, smooth, surmounted by the pyramidal, persistent style-base.

Similar Taxa

Most likely to be confused with Eleocharis pusilla R.Br. from which it differs by widely creeping rather than ascending rhizome; by the spikelets > 3 mm long (rather than 2.5-3 mm long); hypogynous bristles 4-8 (rather than absent or occasionally 2-3); and by the smooth nut (rather than nut with the surface covered in prominent vertical ribs and fine transverse bars). Eleocharis gracilis and E. pusilla may at times be sympatric.

Flowering

August - January

Fruiting

October - May

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and rooted pieces. Prefers a permanently damp situation in full sun.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 20

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Bristly nuts are dispersed by water and possibly wind and attachment (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Attribution

Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)

References and further reading

Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.

Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309

This page last updated on 12 Sep 2014