Poa novae-zelandiae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Basal innovations intravaginal; flabellate. Culms erect; 7–45 cm long; 3 -noded; with 0.5 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; acuminate. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open, or contracted; oblong, or ovate; dense; 2.5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 4–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex attenuate. Palea 0.66 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Cheeseman.

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