Empodisma minus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Empodisma minus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Restionaceae |
| Genus: | Empodisma |
| Species: | E. minus |
| Binomial name | |
| Empodisma minus (Hook.f.) L.A.S.Johnson & D.F.Cutler | |
Empodisma minus,[1] commonly known as (lesser) wire rush or spreading rope-rush, is a perennial evergreen belonging to the southern-hemisphere family of monocotyledonous plants Restionaceae. The Latin name Empodisma minus translates to “tangle-foot” “small”.[2] E. minus is found from Queensland to South Australia, Tasmania and throughout New Zealand south of 38 ° latitude, or the central north island.[3] Its current conservation status is “Least concern”.[4] In 2012, the new species Empodisma robustum was described in New Zealand, with what was previously described as E. minus from the lowland raised bogs of Waikato and Northland now being re-classified as E. robustum.[5] E. minus remains an important peatformer in the south of New Zealand and in high altitude peatlands.
The stems are 15–200 cm long, numerously branched, semi-terete and dark green to dark brown in colour.[2] The stem keeps upright when short, yet becomes procumbent when tall. The stem has 5.5–12 mm long sheaths that seemingly divide it to multiple segments. The sheaths are reduced leaves which keep close to the stem and have whitish axillary hairs. Spikelets, the primary inflorescence of the grass, are usually solitary and sessile in males and females, however, axillary in the males but in the upper axils in the females. The fruit of E. minus is a hard oval nut,[2] sessile and approximately 2 mm long.[6] The plant has a robust rhizome with a diameter of about 8 mm and numerous roots that ascend horizontally.
E. minus flowers from August until December, the flowers are yellow in colour. Fruit appears from November up to March.[2]
