Chionochloa beddiei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths yellow; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 40–75 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–15 cm long; keeled; outer margin hairy; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades reflexed; persistent; flat; 30–60 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 7–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–13 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–13 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 20–22 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 7–8 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 8.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 4.5 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.