Chionochloa flavicans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths papery; purple; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal; flabellate. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 7–15 cm long; keeled; glabrous on surface; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent; 1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; 30–75 cm long; 4–8 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; obovate; dense; 15–30 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches scabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 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; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; mid-green, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; mid-green, or purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above and on veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.2–2.5 mm long; incised 0.1–0.3 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 6–16 mm long overall; without a column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; shorter than principal. Palea 4.5–6 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 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 4 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.