Poaceae
Chionochloa

Chionochloa oreophila (Petrie) Zotov

First published in New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 104 (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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; mat forming. Butt sheaths papery; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15-30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 3-5 cm long; wider than blade at the collar; inner surface glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5(-1) mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; 5-15 cm long; 1-2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 6-8 fertile spikelets. Panicle open; ovate; 3-6 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; with scattered hairs; hairy at tip; bearded in axils; with prominent pulvini. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.75 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.75 mm long; pilose; disarticulating obliquely.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5-7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6-7.5 mm long; 1-1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 5-6.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2 mm long; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; reflexed; flat below; 4-5.5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0-2.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 5.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 0.6 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 2.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. 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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[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