Poaceae
Chionochloa

Chionochloa bromoides (Hook.f.) Zotov

First published in New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 90 (1963)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Zealand North Island. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Butt sheaths yellow; glossy; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms rambling; 35-70 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 10-15 cm long; keeled; outer margin hairy; inner surface puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; 25-50 cm long; 5-10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Gynodioecious (male, in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10-20 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous; bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate. Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 0-1 basal sterile florets; 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13-16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 5 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 0-1 basal sterile florets; 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13-16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; bearded; disarticulating obliquely. Floret callus hairs 5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 10-12 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14-16 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or setaceously attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 10-11 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; pilose; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 20-22 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0-3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 9-10 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 1.75 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3-5.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5 mm long. Hilum linear.
sex Male
Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female.
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