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Uncinia

Genus of grass-like plants From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Uncinia
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Uncinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, known as hook-sedges in Australia[3] and as hook grasses or bastard grasses in New Zealand.[4] The genus is characterised by the presence of a long hook formed by an extension of the rachilla,[5] which is used to attach the fruit to passing animals (epizoochory), especially birds,[6] and it is this feature which gives the genus its name, from the Latin uncinus, meaning a hook or barb.[7]

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Systematics

Uncinia is a "satellite genus" of the very large genus Carex, alongside other satellites such as Cymophyllus, Kobresia, Schoenoxiphium, Vesicarex.[8] Uncinia seems to form a monophyletic group, with the most distinct species being U. kingii, a species which has sometimes been placed in the genus Carex.[5] Similarly, Carex microglochin has sometimes been included in Uncinia, as U. microglochin.[9]

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Distribution

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Uncinia has a Gondwanan distribution,[5] with most species found Australia, New Zealand and South America,[3] as far north as Mexico and Jamaica.[10] Of the 50–60 species, 30 are endemic to New Zealand,[11] 6 are endemic to the east coast of Australia,[3] and 4 are endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands.[12] Smaller numbers of species are also found in New Guinea, Borneo, the Philippines, Hawaii, Tristan da Cunha, Kerguelen, Île Amsterdam, Île Saint-Paul, and the Prince Edward Islands, although none are known from the mainland of Africa.[10] This distribution suggests that the genus had an origin in Antarctica.[13]

It contains the following species:

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References

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