Anemanthele is a monotypic genus of grass in the family Poaceae (order Poales), endemic to New Zealand. Its sole species, Anemanthele lessoniana (syn. Stipa arundinacea), is known by the common names gossamer grass, New Zealand wind grass, and pheasant’s tail grass. The genus was erected by J.F. Veldkamp in 1985, segregating it from Stipa and allied stipoid genera on the basis of its distinctive spikelet morphology.
The plant is an erect, tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial with densely leafy culms reaching 75 cm, bearing delicate, nodding, purplish-red or green panicles to 60 cm. Leaf blades are stiff, involute or flat, to 45 cm long and 6 mm wide. The spikelets are laterally subcompressed, with single anthers — a key feature distinguishing it from the similar introduced grass Piptatherum miliaceum. In cultivation, it forms graceful arching mounds of green foliage to about 90 cm, developing striking orange, copper, and gold highlights that intensify in autumn and in drier soils.
Though naturally rare in the wild — classified as At Risk – Declining under the New Zealand Threat Classification System — it is one of the most widely cultivated New Zealand native grasses. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit and is valued internationally as an ornamental for its year-round colour and airy flower panicles. In gardens it self-seeds readily and can become invasive in favourable conditions.
Etymology
The genus name Anemanthele derives from the Greek anemos (wind) and anthele (plume or feathery tuft), referencing the wind-dispersed seeds and delicate, airy panicles characteristic of the plant. The specific epithet lessoniana honours René Primevère Lesson, a 19th-century French botanist and surgeon.
Distribution
Anemanthele lessoniana is endemic to New Zealand, occurring on both main islands. On the North Island it is found in North Auckland, the Waikato, and the southern third of the island; on the South Island it ranges from Nelson and Marlborough southward, predominantly in eastern regions. It has also established as a cultivation escape around Auckland City.
Ecology
The species occupies a broad elevational range from sea level to montane habitats, growing in forest, forest margins, scrub, and on cliff faces and associated talus slopes. It flowers from October through January (sometimes into March), with fruiting from November through February (to May). The florets are wind-dispersed. The chromosome number is 2n = 40–44. Conservation status (NZTCS 2023): At Risk – Declining (qualifiers: Sp, DPS, DPT).
Cultivation
Anemanthele lessoniana is a popular ornamental grass in temperate gardens worldwide, valued for its arching, colour-shifting foliage and airy flower panicles. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Hardy to USDA zone 8, it may go dormant and deciduous in cold winters, remaining evergreen to semi-evergreen in milder climates. It thrives in dry, well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade; it does poorly in damp or waterlogged conditions. The foliage reaches approximately 90 cm, with the best copper-orange colouration developing in drier soils. Propagation is easy from fresh seed; the species self-seeds readily and can naturalise aggressively in garden settings.
Taxonomy
Anemanthele was erected by J.F. Veldkamp in 1985 as a monotypic segregate from the stipoid grasses. The sole species had previously been placed in several genera including Agrostis, Apera, Dichelachne, Oryzopsis, and most notably Stipa (as Stipa arundinacea, a name still widely encountered in horticulture). The genus is distinguished by its laterally subcompressed (rather than dorsally compressed) florets and the presence of a single stamen rather than three. It is endemic to New Zealand at both the genus and species level. A 2014 evidence-based review by Garnock-Jones reaffirmed its status as a distinct endemic New Zealand genus.
Synonymy
Anemanthele lessoniana (Steud.) Veldkamp. Synonyms: Agrostis lessoniana Steud., Oryzopsis lessoniana (Steud.) Veldkamp, Agrostis procera A.Rich., Dichelachne procera Steud., D. rigida Steud., Oryzopsis rigida (Steud.) Zotov, Agrostis rigida A.Rich., Apera arundinacea Hook.f., Stipa arundinacea (Hook.f.) Benth., Apera purpurascens Colenso.
