Chionochloa pallens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–20 cm long; keeled; glabrous on surface to pilose; outer margin glabrous, or hairy; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or pubescent; 0–2 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule; flat, or involute; 30–100 cm long; 3–10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, or papillose; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–20 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous, or hispidulous. Panicle branches glabrous, or hispidulous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–9 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. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–14 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 12–16 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 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.