The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Eleocharis sphacelata

Etymology

Eleocharis: charm of the swamp
sphacelata: diseased (appearance of the spike)

Common Name(s)

kutakuta, spikes of doom, bamboo spike sedge, tall 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 sphacelata R.Br.

Family

Cyperaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ELESPH

Structural Class

Sedges

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Indigenous

Habitat

Coastal to lower montane (but mainly in lowland areas). Preferring sunny situations where it usually grows in still deep water such as along lake and pond margins often amongst Raupo (Typha orientalis C.B.Presl), Baumea articulata (R.Br.) Blake. Rarely bordering slowly flowing streams and rivers, or in burn pools and damp depressions within peat bogs.

Features

Rhizome 10-15 mm diameter, stout and lignaceous, creeping. Culms 0.3-1.2 m long, 4-12 mm diameter, usually close-packed, linear with obvious internal transverse septa set at regular intervals of 10-100 mm, apices blunted-ended unless fertile. Basal sheaths grey. chartaceous with an oblique orifice; roots 2 mm diameter, red-brown, in a group of up to 5 from the base of each culm. Spikelet 20-70 x 5-10 mm, cylindrical with an acute apex. Lowest glume sterile, almost completely surrounding base of spikelet, very short; upper glumes numerous, imbricate, 6-8 mm long, obovate-oblong, obtuse, not keeled but with a strong median nerve and numerous fine lateral nerves. Hypogynous bristles 6-10, usually greater than nut, with rather large, sparse, retrorse teeth. Stamens 3, Style 3-fid, occasionally stigmas 2, or all connate to the apex. Nut 2.0-2.5 mm long (excluding persistent style-base), orbicular, biconvex, the surface covered with hexagonal reticulations, pale brown, surmounted by the persistent, dark brown, conic, swollen base of the style.

Similar Taxa

None. Easily distinguished from other species of Eleocharis by the much large soft, hollow, transversely septate culms. Could be confused with sterile species of Baumea articulata but that species has much longer (up to 2 m), dark green to almost brown green, rigidly firm culms with acute rather than blunt-ended apices

Flowering

August - December

Fruiting

November - May

Propagation Technique

Can be tricky. Fresh seed germinates best if allowed to float on water overlying potting mix, gradually reduce the water level so that the germinating plants can naturally "float" on to the underlying soil. Plants do best if their rootstock is submerged.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 100

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).

This page last updated on 12 Sep 2014