Chionochloa oreophila

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Butt sheaths papery; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 3–5 cm long; wider than blade at the collar; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5(–1) mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; 5–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 6–8 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–6 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; with scattered hairs; hairy at tip; bearded in axils; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.75 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; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 4–5.5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0–2.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 5.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.6 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 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.