Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Arundo richardii Endl., Ann. Weiner Mus. Naturgesch. 1: 158 (1836)

≡A. kakao Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 194 (1854)

≡A. australis A.Rich. Ess. Fl. N.Z. 121  (1832) non Cav. (1799); 

Holotype: P! Herb. Richard no. 29 N'lle Zelande. Havre de l'Astrolabe; ♀; (fragment CHR 236584).

=Gynerium zeelandicum Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 198 (1854); 

Holotype: P (Herb. Steudel)!, N. Zeelandia; ⚥; (fragment CHR 236583).

Very tall, stout tussock with narrow, erect, sharp leaves, and narrow inflorescences. Leaf-sheath glabrous beneath white epicuticular wax. Ligule to 3.5 mm. Collar brown, abaxially glabrous, adaxially with ribs short stiff hairy. Leaf-blade to 2 m × 2.5 cm, stiff, abaxially very scabrid in upper ⅓, adaxially with thick weft of hairs at base becoming fewer up midrib, abundant minute prickle-teeth throughout; margins long (5 mm) hairy below becoming very scabrid. Culm to 2.5 m, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 1 m, plumose, stiff, erect to pennant-shaped and drooping; rachis glabrous, branches and pedicels scabrid, long hairs at axils and below spikelet. Spikelets to 25 mm, of 3 florets. Glumes equal, ≥ florets, transparent, acuminate, 1-nerved occasionally shortly 3-nerved; keel scabrid; sometimes long hairy on lower margin. Lemma to 10 mm, scabrid, long (7 mm) hairs radiating from base; lateral lobes to 3 mm; central awn to 15 mm from between lobes. Palea to 6 mm, attenuated, apex hair-tipped, keels ciliate, interkeel and flanks scabrid above. Rachilla to 1 mm, glabrous. Callus hairs to 2 mm. Lodicules to 0.7 mm, hair-fringed. Anthers of ⚥ flowers to 4.5 mm, of ♀ flowers to 3 mm. Gynoecium: of ⚥ flowers ovary to 1 mm, stigma-styles to 2.5 mm; of ♀ flowers ovary to 1.3 mm, stigma-styles to 4 mm. Caryopsis 3-4 mm; embryo to 1 mm; hilum to 2.0 mm. 2 n = 90. Plate 8B.

S.: throughout on river beds, lake and stream margins and wet places; sea level to 900 m.

Endemic.

Natural populations comprise 62% ⚥ and 38% ♀ plants; populations exclusively of ⚥ plants were found in Mackenzie Country.

Naturalised in Tasmania [Curtis, W. M. and Morris, D. I. Student's Fl. Tasmania 4B p. 319 (1994)].