Chionochloa spiralis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths papery; pallid; persistent and investing base of culm; with curly dead sheaths and 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 10–20 cm long; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous with part of sheath attached; filiform; terete; 25–50 cm long; 1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–12 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 14–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.8 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 0.5 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; 10–12 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–13 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 4.5 mm long; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 10–13 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2.5 mm long. Palea 6 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.75 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Arundineae. Connor.

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