Poaceae
Chionochloa

Chionochloa australis (Buchanan) Zotov

First published in New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 103 (1963)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Zealand South Island. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subalpine or subarctic biome.

Descriptions

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; mat forming. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20-40 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal; distichous. Leaf-sheaths 4-7 cm long; glabrous on surface; inner surface puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 7 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; terete; 5-10 cm long; 0.4-0.8 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface papillose; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3-5 fertile spikelets. Peduncle pilose above. Panicle open; 2-5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; pilose; with prominent pulvini. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10-15 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.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10-15 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.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 12-14 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12-14 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 6-8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2-3 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 10-15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3-4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3-4 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 7 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 1 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3-4 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Australasia: New Zealand.
Reference
Arundineae. Connor.
[GB]

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