Class
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Spinifex sericeus R.Br. (1810)
Vernacular Name(s):
Kōwhangatara; Raumoa; Silvery sand grass; Turikākoa; Wawatai
Description
Stoloniferous, often forming colonies stretching to 80–(160) m along sand dunes, with much-branched, knotted, rope-like, hard, creeping culms. Leaf-sheath coriaceous, strongly-nerved, silky-hairy. Ligule a minute ciliate rim, hairs very dense to 6 mm. Leaf-blade c. 30 cm, inrolled and c. 1.5 mm diam., coriaceous, strongly nerved, silky-villous. Culm 2.5–6 mm diam., internodes glabrous, silky-villous below inflorescence. Dioecious: ♂ inflorescence with numerous pedunculate racemes, 5–12 cm, bearing up to 15 silky-villous spikelets, and terminated by a short bristle c. 1 cm; raceme clusters subtended by spathaceous bracts ≤ raceme. ♂ spikelets 10 cm; glumes ≤ spikelet, 7–9-nerved; lemmas similar to glumes but less villous, 5-nerved; each floret with 2 emarginate lodicules 0.6 × 0.3 mm, and 3 pollen-filled anthers to 6 mm, at anthesis flexible on long filaments from open florets. ♀ inflorescence very conspicuous, globular, appearing spiny with strict bracts to 15 cm, disarticulating from culm at maturity and wheeling along sand; spikelets solitary, hidden at base of bract, 15–18 mm; glumes = spikelet, 5–7-nerved, silky-villous; lemmas shorter, less villous, rather chartaceous, 3–5-nerved; lower floret Ø, consisting of 2 lodicules, and 3 pollenless white, rudimentary anthers, 0.7–1 mm, on stout filaments, gynoecium 0; upper floret ♀, larger, with 2 lodicules c. 1 × 1 mm, and 3 stamens with stout filaments bearing white, pollenless anthers up to 1.5 mm; ovary 1.5–2 mm, stigma-styles 17–20 mm; caryopsis free, c. 4.5–5 × 2.5 mm; embryo 3 mm; hilum 0.75–1.0 mm, in a broad depression. 2n= 18. Plate 5A.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Edgar, E.; Connor, H.E. 2010: Flora of New Zealand Volume V Grasses. Edition 2. Manaaki Whenua Press.
