Flora of New Zealand Series

U. nelmesii Hamlin in T.R.S.N.Z. Bot.  2,  1963,  127.

Type locality: Titiokura, Hawke's Bay. Type: K, Colenso 1705.

Tussock-forming, very light green. Culms (25)–30–45–(55) cm. × 0.5 mm., slightly scabrid above; basal sheaths light brown or reddish, occ. enclosing the culm for more than half its length. Lvs 4–7 per culm, <, = or > culms, 1.5–2–(3) mm. wide, sharply scabrid on margins, slightly scabrid on upper surface towards tip. Spikes (4)–5–12–(14) cm. long, often bracteate, lowermost glumes occ. lf-like and much > spike, male portion relatively long, female fls c. 10–20, ± distant, internodes 6–12 mm. long below, 2 mm. long above. Glumes < utricles, deciduous, acute, lower 2–3 acuminate and often produced to a scabrid awn, membr., green. Utricles 5.5–9 mm. × c. 1 mm., plano-convex, narrow-oblong, light green or light brown, distinctly nerved, beak 1.5–2 mm. long, narrow, with scabrid margins and occ. a few teeth on the abaxial surface, stipe 1.5–2 mm. long, narrow.

DIST.: N. Northwards from Auckland, local further south.

Forest to 975 m. altitude.

U. nelmesii. Type: WELT 5369, "Saddle south of Mt Matthews, Rimutaka Range, c. 600 m. altitude", A. P. Druce (cultivated at Taita, Hutt Valley, Mar. 1959). This plant had shorter spikes with shorter internodes and smaller utricles than are found in plants of U. distans from Auckland. However, specimens collected by A. P. Druce from other localities in the Rimutaka Range and from Mt Egmont are intermediate in size between the type of U. nelmesii and northern specimens of U. distans.

The doubtful Otago records (see Hamlin in Bull. Dom. Mus., Wellington 19, 1959, 15) have not been confirmed.