Chionochloa bromoides

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths yellow; glossy; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms rambling; 35–70 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–15 cm long; keeled; outer margin hairy; inner surface puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; 25–50 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets; 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–16 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–11 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; pilose; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 20–22 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 9–10 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.75 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3–5.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5 mm long. Hilum linear.

MALE Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. Connor.

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