Carex albula

Carex albula, common name white sedge, is a species of sedge (in the Cyperaceae family). It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand.[4]

Carex albula
Lectotype: AM AK2739-1

Nationally Vulnerable (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Carex
Species:
C. albula
Binomial name
Carex albula
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms[4]

Carex comans var stricta Cheeseman

According to Plants of the World online, it has no synonyms.[5] However the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network lists Carex comans var stricta Cheeseman as a synonym.[4]

Description

It is a densely tufted sedge growing from 250 to 350 mm tall, and may be buff-coloured, an almost bleached white, or green or red. The culms are smooth and 50-200 mm by 0.5 mm, often having a deep groove. The leaves are numerous and the basal sheaths are dark brown to purple-red. The terminal spike is male with the other spikes being female.[4]

It flowers from October to December and fruits from October to September[4] and the nuts are dispersed by granivory and wind.[6]

Distribution & habitat

It is found in the South Island from the Mackenzie Basin, to Waitaki and Central Otago, on alluvial terraces, and slopes and on river flats.[4]

Conservation status

The IUCN Redlist declared its conservation status to be of "least concern" (LC).[7] However, assessments under the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS), declared it to be "At Risk – Declining" (Dec) in 2013, and in 2017 to be "Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable" (NV).[1]

gollark: Do it constantly forever, then, obviously.
gollark: Not wanting it doesn't, though.
gollark: Just stop wanting that.
gollark: I'm mostly procrastinating.
gollark: Look, if I had to know about things before talking about them, then no.

References
  1. de Lange, P.J. et al."Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017" (PDF). 2017. p. 9.
  2. "NZOR Name Details - Carex albula Allan". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  3. Allan, H.H.B. (1947) Notes on New Zealand Floristic Botany. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 76: 589
  4. "Carex albula | New Zealand Plant Conservation Network". nzpcn.org.nz. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  5. "Carex albula Allan | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  6. 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 (4): 285–309. doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001. ISSN 1433-8319.
  7. Romand-Monnier, F. (2013). "Carex albula. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T44393051A44470730". Retrieved 15 November 2019.


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