Chionochloa defracta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths light brown; glossy; persistent and investing base of culm; with dead sheaths fracturing into segments. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 30–65 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–25 cm long; pilose; outer margin hairy; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous with part of sheath attached; filiform; terete; 30–75 cm long; 1–1.3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous; ciliate. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous; with scattered hairs; hairy at tip; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 11–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long; glabrous, or pubescent. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 4 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–13 mm long; 1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2.5 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1–3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 11 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0–3 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; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5 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.