Chionochloa conspicua

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 100–200 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 60–100 cm long; 5–15 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–50 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 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. Floret callus elongated; 0.6–1 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 2 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 5–12 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; ciliate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear; 0.5–0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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