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Carpet grass Chionochloa australis

Diagnostic features for identification in the field

This species is quite different from all other Chionochloa species.

Leaves very fine, tightly rolled with pungent sharp tips. Leaves are crowded at ends of prostrate tillers that extend downhill to form a thatch up to 15 cm thick. Often forms an extensive sward.

Flowers in December and January; which are borne high above the leaves.

References:
  • Mark, A.F. and Adams, N. 1996: Alpine plants of New Zealand. Christchurch
  • Wardle, P. 1991. Vegetation of New Zealand, Cambridge Press, Cambridge.
  • Salmon, J.T. 1996. A field guide to the alpine plants of New Zealand, Godwit publishing. Auckland.

Description of community and habitat

 Carpet grass often covers extensive areas of steep alpine slopes, especially in Nelson, north west Canterbury and north Westland. It is usually found between 1100 and 1800m a.s.l., but can reach 2000m a.s.l.

East of the Main Divide, South Island
Carpet grass is of limited distribution, extending from inland Marlborough to the northern parts of Taramakau and Waimakariri catchment in Canterbury. It occurs on soils which are leached, well weathered and shallow, and are formed on convex penalpine slopes.

West of the Main Divide, South Island
Carpet grass is more common to the West of the Main Divide, where it extends from the mountain in north-west Nelson, to Arthurs Pass. In West Nelson, carpet grass dominate granite country where it forms thick swards. It is less frequently found on schist or marble country.

At lower altitudes it only occupies frosty depressions, while at higher altitudes, it increasingly replaces mid-ribbed snow tussocks (C. pallens) on ridges and hillslopes. It occupies well drained soils of low fertility.

Carpet grass occurs in association with copper tussocks on gentle slopes overlying the calcareous tablelands; and with mid-ribbed snow tussocks (C. pallens) on well drained soils overlying marble and schist at higher altitudes.

Reference:Wardle, P. 1991. Vegetation of New Zealand, Cambridge Press, Cambridge

Other species present

West of the Main Divide, South Island
Where carpet grass dominates in Nelson, it occurs with plants characteristic of low fertility e.g. Celmisia spectabilis, C.laricifolia and C.discolor.

At Lewis Pass if forms a dense alpine meadow with Celmisia discolor and Dracophyllum pronum.

Vegetation History

 These alpine grasslands are likely to have occupied similar habitats in the past as they do today, although their extent may have increased in areas where domestic or feral animals have grazed the associated palatable plants, leaving the unpalatable carpet grass. In Marlborough, trampling and burning activities have depleted the cover of C.australis in places (Wraight, 1963). Although it gives an impression of advancing vigorously into snow tussock and other alpine communities, Wraight (1965) measured an extension of only 5-20m per year.

References:
Wraight, M.J. 1963: The alpine and upper montane grasslands of the Wairau river catchment, Marlborough. NZ J. Botany, 4: 351-76.

Wraight, M.J. 1965: Growth rates and potential for spread of alpine carpet grass, Chionochloa (Danthonia) australis. New Zealand Journal of Botany, 3: 171-9.



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