Anthosachne solandri
| Anthosachne solandri | |
|---|---|
_Barkworth_and_S.W.L.Jacobs_(AM_AK348424-1).jpg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Anthosachne |
| Species: | A. solandri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Anthosachne solandri (Connor) Barkworth & S.W.L.Jacobs
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Anthosachne solandri is a species of true grass in the tribe Triticeae endemic to New Zealand. It is a medium stature tufted grass that tends to have flat, blueish leaves.[3] It flowers from September–February, and fruits from October–May.[4]
Distribution and habitat
A. solandri is endemic to the North and South Islands of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is found in open habitats in coastal environments and inland tussock grasslands, as well as in riverbeds, screes, and moraines from elevations 0-1500 m.[3][4]
It has never been found North of Motu Kaikoura, an island off Great Barrier Island. It had originally been collected there by Thomas Kirk in 1867 (AK 11174), but was presumed extinct there until 2006, when it was refound by Ewen Cameron.[5][6]
Description
A medium stature tufted grass, usually brightly glaucous, sometimes green. Inflorescences have 3-15 spikelets that lie closely against the rachis, which contain 4-10 florets with long awns.[3][4]
A. solandri and its most similar relative, A. scabra, can be distinguished from other long-awned Anthosachne in Aotearoa New Zealand by their flat leaves and long, clasping auricles.[7]
From A. scabra, A. solandri is separated by its more glaucous (blueish) leaves, and by its recurved awns, and pointed, bifid, palea apexes.[7]
Ecology
As a species of open habitats, the recovery following the removal of grazing has resulted in declines of this species in tussock grassland in Marlborough (declining from 12.5% frequency to 4.1%).[8] In the Canterbury and Otago Regions, A. solandri increased in response to rabbit control between 1990 and 1995.[9]
At Flat Top Hill, Central Otago, A. solandri is found within plant communites dominated by the invasive species Thymus vulgaris, Rosa rubiginosa, and Sedum acre, growing even within dense canopies Thymus vulgaris. It is also associated there with grasses Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca novae-zelandiae, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Poa maniototo, Rytidosperma buchananii, R. clavatum, R. thomsonii, R. unarede, and Poa annua, with the herbs Acaena novae-zelandiae, Lysimachia arvensis, Crepis capillaris, Helichrysum filicaule, Hypericum perforatum, Hypochaeris radicata, Chaerophyllum ramosum, Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum, Trifolium repens, T. arvense, Verbascum thapsus, and Vittadinia australis, Wahlenbergia albomarginata, the orchids Microtis unifolia and Thelymitra longifolia, the ferns Asplenium flabellifolium and Austroblechnum penna-marina, the liane Muehlenbeckia complexa, and the sedges Carex subtilis, Carex breviculmis.[10]
Taxonomy
What is now known as Anthosachne solandri was originally described in 1844 as Triticum squarrosum, by Hooker, using specimens collected by Banks and Solander onboard the HMS Endeavour.[11] However, it was renamed Triticum solandri in 1854,[11] presumably because a taxon named Triticum squarrosum already existed.[12] In 1864, Hooker described a second taxon from the source of the river Waitaki, as Triticum youngii, separating it from then T. solandri on the basis that it was particularly tall, and had longer awns.[13] This taxon was renamed Agropyron youngii in 1901. In 1994, Connor moved T. solandri into Elymus as Elymus solandri, and recognised A. youngii as a synonym of it.[11] In 2011, genetic analysis showed that the Australasian Elymus were distinct from Elymus elsewhere, and were moved into the resurrected genus Anthosachne, hence the present name Anthosachne solandri.[14]
Anthosachne solandri has been described as a variable species. On the Cook Strait Islands and Marlborough Sounds, plants are described as having longer shoots, broader leaves, and more toothed lemmas than on the mainland, as well as more compact inflorescences and asymmetrical florets. Similar plants exist at Paritutu on the Taranaki coast. In Wellington, plants are very glaucous and prostrate.[11] Plants in inland Otago and Marlborough have inrolled, channelled leaves, but the variation is not stable in cultivation. On alpine screes also exist a short-culmed, few-flowered form.[3]
Anthosachne solandri has been known to hybridise with Anthosachne kingiana, although most specimens labelled as that hybrid have awns shorter than experimental hybrids between the two species, and are more likely to be long-awned A. kingiana.[11] It is also capable of producing sterile hybrids with all species of Stenostachys.[15]
Threats
In the Wellington Region, this species is recognised as Regionally Endangered.[16] The recent spread of the weedy herb Aichryson laxum may further threaten A. solandri, given that it is largely found in open coastal habitats that A. laxum is invading.[17]
The species was previously thought extinct in Auckland, having been collected on Motu Kaikoura off Great Barrier Island in 1867. It was rediscovered at the same location in 2006 by Ewen Cameron.[5][6]
Gallery
-
Flowering Anthosachne solandri spikelet -
Alpine scree form with rolled leaves and few flowers -
Inflorescence -
A. solandri in habitat
References
- ^ Lange, Peter J. de; Rolfe, Jeremy R.; Barkla, John W.; Courtney, Shannel P.; Champion, Paul D.; Perrie, Leon R.; Beadel, Sarah M.; Ford, Kerry A.; Breitwieser, Ilse; Schönberger, Ines; Hindmarsh-Walls, Rowan (May 2018). "Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 22: 1–86. OCLC 1041649797.
- ^ "Anthosachne solandri (Steud.) Barkworth & S.W.L.Jacobs". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Anthosachne solandri". NZPCN. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Elymus solandri (Steud.) Connor". Floraseries Landcare Research. Archived from the original on 2 August 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ a b Gardner, R. (2020). "The uncommon grasses of northern New Zealand" (PDF).
- ^ a b Cameron, E. (2007). "The Vascular Flora of Motu Kaikoura, Fitzroy Harbour, Great BarrierIsland" (PDF).
- ^ a b "Elymus L." Floraseries Landcare Research. Archived from the original on 1 August 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Rose, Alan B.; Suisted, Philip A.; Frampton, Chris M. (2004-03-01). "Recovery, invasion, and decline over 37 years in a Marlborough short-tussock grassland, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 42 (1): 77–87. Bibcode:2004NZJB...42...77R. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2004.9512891. ISSN 0028-825X.
- ^ Norbury, D. (August 1996). The effect of rabbits on conservation values (PDF) (Report). Science for conservation. Vol. 34. Wellington: New Zealand Department of Conservation. ISBN 0-478-01823-1. ISSN 1173-2946.
- ^ Walker, Susan; Mark, Alan F.; Wilson, J. Bastow (1995). "The Vegetation of Flat Top Hill: An Area of Semi-Arid Grassland/Shrubland in Central Otago, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 19 (2): 175–194. ISSN 0110-6465. JSTOR 24054435.
- ^ a b c d e Connor, H. E. (April 1994). "Indigenous New Zealand Triticeae: Gramineae". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 32 (2): 125–154. Bibcode:1994NZJB...32..125C. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1994.10410364. ISSN 0028-825X.
- ^ "Triticum squarrosum Roth". 2025.
- ^ Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1867). Handbook of the New Zealand flora : a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, and Macquarrie's islands. London: Reeve & Co. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.132966.
- ^ Barkworth, M (2011-02-16). "The Triticeae (Gramineae) in Australasia". Telopea. 1–2: 37–56. Bibcode:2011Telop...1...37B. doi:10.7751/telopea20116003.
- ^ Connor, H. E.; Edgar, E. (March 2002). "History of the taxonomy of the New Zealand native grass flora". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 32 (1): 89–112. Bibcode:2002JRSNZ..32...89C. doi:10.1080/03014223.2002.9517685. ISSN 0303-6758.
- ^ Crisp, P. (2020). "Conservation status ofindigenous vascular plantspecies in the Wellingtonregion" (PDF).
- ^ Perrie, Leon; Shepherd, Lara (2025-10-02). "Naturalisation of the tree of love Aichryson laxum (Crassulaceae) and its implications for biosecurity surveillance in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 63 (4): 537–547. Bibcode:2025NZJB...63..537P. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2023.2279296. ISSN 0028-825X.