The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Chionochloa juncea

Etymology

Chionochloa: snow grass
juncea: rush-like

Common Name(s)

North Westland Snow Tussock

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Declining

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 - Declining
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - RR
2009 - RR

Authority

Chionochloa juncea Zotov

Family

Poaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CHIJUN

Structural Class

Grasses

Synonyms

Danthonia raoulii var. teretifolia Petrie; Danthonia rigida var. teretifolia (Petrie) Zotov

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Westland (Denniston and Stockton Plateaus).

Habitat

Montane to subalpine. Locally common in scrub, tussock grassland and swampy ground overlying coal measures

Features

Tall, rush-like, red tussock with swollen bases from rootstock clothed in old leaf-sheaths, leaves persistent, ultimately falling below sheath with one fracture. Leaf-sheath to 150 mm, dark brown, entire, persistent, internerves hairy but often appearing glabrous, margin long hairy above, apical tuft of hairs to 4 mm. Ligule to 0.5 mm. Leaf-blade to 700 × 1 mm, acicular rush-like, finally falling with top part of sheath, abaxially glabrous sometimes with long hairs below aside prominent, shining, hollow keel, becoming glabrous, adaxially with weft of long hairs at base, prickle-teeth above; margin with long hairs below glabrous above. Culm to 900 mm, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 200 mm, open, spikelets on long, pulvinate, flexuous branches; rachis and branches sparsely short hairy below becoming glabrous except for few hairs at axils and below spikelets. Spikelets of up to 6 purpled florets. Glumes glabrous, < adjacent lemma lobes; lower to 11 mm, 3-nerved, upper to 12 mm, 5-nerved. Lemma to 5.5 mm; hairs dense on margin, very few aside central nerve, glabrous elsewhere, < sinus; lateral lobes up to 4 mm, including awn up to 2.5 mm; central awn up to 10 mm, reflexed from 1 mm flat column. Palea to 6 mm. Callus to 1 mm, hairs to 3 mm. Rachilla to 0.8 mm. Lodicules to 0.5 mm. Anthers to 3.5 mm. Ovary to 0.5 mm; stigma-styles to 2 mm. Seeds to 2 mm

Flowering

October - December

Fruiting

November - April

Propagation Technique

Easily grown in an acidic, damp soil in full sun or partial shade. Plants dislike drying out and will not tolerate drought or long periods of humidity. Very slow growing. An unusual tussock whose rush-like foliage is very attractive.

Threats

Widespread within the coal measures of North Westland. In most places it is secure, however, open cast coal mining now threatens some large populations.

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 6 Dec 2014