Chionochloa australis

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal; distichous. Leaf-sheaths 4–7 cm long; glabrous on surface; inner surface puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 7 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; terete; 5–10 cm long; 0.4–0.8 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface papillose; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3–5 fertile spikelets. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle open; 2–5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; pilose; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 2.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–14 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–14 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2–3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 10–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3–4 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 7 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3–4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. Connor.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.