Chionochloa cheesemanii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–20 cm long; pilose; outer margin hairy; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; flat, or conduplicate; 40–80 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; dark green. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15–35 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous, or hispidulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long; glabrous, or pubescent. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 4 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 2–3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute, or setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 10–15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1 mm long. Palea 6.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scabrous (on back above); pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.5 mm long; 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.