Chionochloa vireta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths yellow; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; slender; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 5–10 cm long; pilose; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades tortuous; deciduous at the ligule; 15–30 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 7–13 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 2.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–11 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 9–10 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 4 mm long; incised 0.4 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 5–7 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2 mm long. Palea 6–7 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 3.5 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.