Poaceae
Chionochloa

Chionochloa antarctica (Hook.f.) Zotov

First published in New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 99 (1963)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Antipodean Islands (Auckland, Campbell). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glossy; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10-20 cm long; without keel; glabrous on surface; inner surface glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat; 20-30 cm long; 4-6 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface papillose; rough adaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; pungent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; pyramidal; 10-15 cm long. Panicle branches bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 18-20 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 2-3 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 18-20 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 2-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 8-12 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; muticous, or awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 10-15 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or awned.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 9-12 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 3-4 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 15-20 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2-3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 8-10 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 0.75 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3-3.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Australasia: New Zealand.
Reference
Arundineae. Connor.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0