Carex erebus (common name - Hookers bastard grass)[5] is a member of the sedge family and is found on the Antarctic Islands of Australia and New Zealand.[3][5]
Carex erebus was first described in 1844 by Francis Boott as Uncinia hookeri in Joseph Hooker's Flora Antarctica.[4][1] In 2015, in order to make the genus Carex monophyletic, the genus, Uncinia, was sunk into Carex.[4] The name, Carex hookeri had already been published in 1837 for another species.[6] Hence a new species epithet was required: erebus was chosen, being the name of the ship (HMS Erebus) on which Hooker sailed on the Antarctic expedition of 1839-1843 when this species was
first collected on the Auckland Islands.[4]
Conservation status
In both 2009 and 2012 it was deemed to be "At Risk - Naturally Uncommon" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System,[5] and this New Zealand classification was reaffirmed in 2018 (due to its restricted range) but with a further comment that it is secure overseas.[2]
References
^ abHooker, J.D. (1844). "Uncinia hookeri". The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839-1843 :under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. 1 (5): 91. Plate LI
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