Poaceae
Agrostis

Agrostis pallescens Cheeseman

First published in Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 53: 423 (1921)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subalpine or subarctic biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 3-5 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.1-0.6 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 0.5-2.5 cm long; 0.2-0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth. Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 0.6-2 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches puberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 1.5-2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 1.5-2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.2-1.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.2-1.8 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2-1.8 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; extending close to apex. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse; muticous. Palea 0.4-0.6 mm long; 0.33 length of lemma; hyaline.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 0.2-0.4 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.4-0.7 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1 mm long. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Australasia: New Zealand.
Reference
Aveneae. Edgar 1994.
[GB]

Sources

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0