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Volume V (2000) - Flora of New Zealand Gramineae
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Deschampsia P.Beauv.

Deschampsia P.Beauv., 1812

Type species: D. cespitosa (L.) P.Beauv.

Perennials, usually caespitose; branching intravaginal. Leaves flat, involute or setaceous. Ligule membranous, acute or obtuse. Inflorescence a lax or contracted panicle. Spikelets rather small, membranous, laterally compressed, pedicelled, 2- or sometimes 3-flowered, chasmogamous or cleistogamous; disarticulation above glumes; rachilla prolonged. Glumes subequal, ≤ florets, 1-3-nerved. Lemma rounded, truncate, irregularly toothed at apex, obscurely 5-nerved; awn dorsal or subapical, or 0. Palea ≈ lemma, 2-keeled. Lodicules 2. Stamens 3, sometimes 1-2. Caryopsis oblong; embryo small; hilum punctiform or shortly elliptic; endosperm solid.

Key

1
Lemma subapically awned, or awnless
2
Lemma dorsally awned, awn inserted near base to c. upper ⅓ of lemma
5
2
Rachilla glabrous or sometimes with a few minute hairs c. 0.2 mm
3
Rachilla hairs 0.5-1 mm
4
3
Tufts 5-35 cm, often stoloniferous or sward-forming; panicle lax, (1.5)-2-12 cm
2. chapmanii
Tufts 2-4.5 cm, compact; panicle ± compact, (0.5)-0.8-1.8 cm
5. pusilla
4
Leaves filiform, flaccid; culms usually overtopping leaves; lower glume 0.5-2 mm, 1-nerved
6. tenella
Leaves strict; culms often hidden by leaf-sheaths; lower glume 2-3.3-(4) mm, (1)-3-nerved
4. gracillima
5
Awn straight; leaf-blade flat, sometimes inrolled; ligule acute
1. cespitosa
Awn geniculate; leaf-blade tightly inrolled; ligule obtuse
3. flexuosa

c. 40 spp. from temperate and circumpolar regions of both Hemispheres, in the tropics at high altitudes. Endemic spp. 4; indigenous sp. 1; naturalised sp. 1.

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