Chionochloa teretifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths dark brown; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10–15 cm long; pilose; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; filiform; terete; 20–40 cm long; 1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pubescent (beneath), or pilose (above); hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins smooth; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; villous; 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; 15–17 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; 12–14 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. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–16 mm long; 1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–9 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute, or setaceously attenuate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 9–11 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 7–8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 2 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 4.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5 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.