Poaceae
Chionochloa

Chionochloa nivifera Connor & K.M.Lloyd

First published in New Zealand J. Bot. 42: 531 (2004)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Zealand South Island (SE. Fiordland). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subalpine or subarctic biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15-35 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 6-10 cm long; keeled; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 0.5-1 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent; conduplicate; 15-30 cm long; 3-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 11-20 fertile spikelets. Panicle open; loose; 6-10 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-5 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. Rhachilla internodes 0.5-0.75 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus evident; 0.6-1 mm long; bearded. Floret callus hairs 2-3 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-5 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. Rhachilla internodes 0.5-0.75 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus evident; 0.6-1 mm long; bearded. 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; 2-5 mm long; 0.4-0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5-7 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; (3-)4-6 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 2-3.5 mm long; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; reflexed (inward); 4 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 0.5-1.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 3.5-5.5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 1 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2-5 mm long; purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2-2.5 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Australasia: New Zealand.
Reference
Arundineae. Connor 2006.
[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

  • 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