Puccinellia raroflorens
Common name
saltgrass
Synonyms
None
Family
Poaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Grasses
Chromosome number
2n = 56
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DP, RR
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DP
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DP
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
Distribution
Endemic. South Island (Central Otago) and Stewart Island. Known from the salt pans of Central Otago and in coastal sites on Stewart Island (Paterson Inlet and Mason Bay).
Habitat
A species of inland salt pans, salt slicks, and coastal salt encrusted sand depressions. It has aleo been collected from near barren, stony ground within an estuary.
Detailed description
Diminutive perennial grass forming diffuse matts up to 2 m diam. and 450 mm high. Plants usually partially covered in soil, rarely flowering with only the short, narrow, dull green leaves visible. Branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath hairless, wider than leaf-blade, ribs few, distinct. Ligule 0.2–0.6 mm, obtuse or truncate, transparent. Leaf-blade 10–30 × 0.2–0.5 mm, hair-like, inrolled, sometimes curled, hairless, tips subacute, margins minutely scabrid. Culm entirely hidden by leaf-sheaths. Panicle rarely present, 10–16 mm, overtopped by leaves, bearing 12 spikelets. Spikelets 3–4–(4.8) mm, 4–6-flowered, green to brownish green. Glumes unequal, ovate, obtuse; lower 0.6–1 mm, 1-nerved, upper 1.1–1.4 mm, 3-nerved. Lemma 1.8–2.5 mm, 5-nerved, ovate-elliptic, hairless. Anthers 0.4–0.6 mm. Seeds 1.2–1.6 × 0.6–0.7 mm.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Similar taxa
This species can be distinguished from all other New Zealand Puccinellia Parl. in that it has extravaginal innovation shoots. Flowering plants are rarely seen. When present they differ from other Puccinellia in that the flowering panicles rarely overtop the surrounding leaves.
Flowering
November–January
Fruiting
November–February
Propagation technique
Can be grown by the division of whole plants. Fresh seed should germinate easily.
Threats
This species is seriously threatened throughout its known mainland range because of the encroachment of salt-tolerant weeds within the saline soil habitats of Central Otago. Its status on Stewart Island remains unclear being known from just two collections made from widely separated localities and 20 years apart.
Etymology
puccinellia: After the italian botanist Benedetto Puccinelli (1808 - 1850).
raroflorens: From the Latin raro ‘sporadic’ and florens ‘flowering’
Where To Buy
Not commercially available. A few plants are held by specialist growers.
Attribution
Description modified from Edgar and Connor (2000).
References and further reading
Edgar E, Connor HE. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Manaaki Whenua Press, Christchurch, NZ. 650 p.