| Anthosachne falcis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Anthosachne |
| Species: | A. falcis |
| Binomial name | |
| Anthosachne falcis (Connor) Barkworth & S.W.L.Jacobs | |
Anthosachne falcis, the dryland blue grass, is a species of true grass of the tribe Triticeae. [1] This species is endemic to New Zealand. [2]
Anthosachne falcis is a small, tufted, blueish grass. Its leaves are thin (0.5-0.7mm), 50-150mm long, and are involute (with leaf margins rolled in towards the upper side). Its inflorescences are 20-100mm tall, borne on 100-150mm culms. Within the inflorescences are 1-4 spikelets, 40-50mm long, with 4-6 florets each. [3] [4]
Anthosachne falcis is most similar to A. sacandros , from which is can be distinguished by the glaucous rather than hirsute leaves, recurved rather than straight awns, and bifid, pointed palea apexes rather than blunt, truncate palea apexes. [5]
Anthosachne falcis is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, found only within the inland Waimakariri, Ashburton, Waitaki, and Taieri River basins. [1]
The type location is Mt Edwards, Canterbury. [6]
Anthosachne falcis is found within short tussock ( Festuca novae-zealandiae ) grassland on dry open ground, river beds, rocky sites, and clay pans, from 450-1250m above sea level. [1] [3]
Anthosachne falcis is designated At Risk - Declining. [7] While no specific threats have been identified, it is found within a narrow range which is vulnerable to habitat loss, through increasing urbanisation, agricultural intensification, and the expansion of the Central Otago wine industry. [3]
Anthosachne falcis is both chasmogamous (meaning it has flowers open to cross-pollination) and cleistogamous (with flowers that do not open), and is capable of self-pollination. [6]
It flowers from October-February, and then fruits from November-March, with seeds being dispersed by wind and attachment. [3] [8]
Following the removal of cattle grazing from Lake Tekapo Scientific Reserve, A. falcis increased in abundance, despite a shared increase in the abundance of invasive hawkweeds ( Pilosella officinarum ). The results show that while A. falcis is potentially vulnerable to grazing, it is not vulnerable to the prominent dryland weed Pilosella. [9]
Before 1994, what is now considered A.falcis was considered part of the widespread species now called Anthosachne scabra, named Group Tekapo II. [1] Then, along with A. sacandros, both species were described for the first time in the genus Elymus , as E.aprica and E. sacandros. [6] 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 Anthosachnefalcis. [10]
The name 'Anthosachne' comes from the Greek 'anthos', meaning flower, and 'achne' , meaning scale, probably referring to the sterile upper florets of the spikelets. [11]
The name 'falcis' refers to the sickle shape of the leaf-blades. [12]
