Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Holcus redolens Vahl, Symb. Bot. 2: 101 (1791)

≡Avena redolens (Vahl) Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 100 (1805)

≡Anthoxanthum redolens (Vahl) D.Royen, Alpine Fl. N. Guinea 2: 1185, t. 382 (1980)

≡Hierochloe antarctica var. redolens (Vahl) Raspail, Ann. Sci. Obs. 1: 83 (1829) comb. illeg.; 

Holotype: C! Forsteri (dedit Fabricius).

=Holcus redolens R.Br., Prodr. 1: 209 (1810) non Vahl 1791 nec Solander ex G.Forst. 1786, nomen

≡Torresia redolens Roem. et Schult., Syst. Veg. 2: 516 (1817)

≡Hierochloe banksiana Endl., Ann. Wiener Mus. Naturgesch. 1: 156 (1836); 

Lectotype: WELT 63940! Banks & Solander New Zealand (designated by Zotov 1973 op. cit. p. 574).

kāretu

Robust, lax tufts. Leaf-sheath glabrous, ± striate, lower ± purplish. Ligule 2-3 mm, chartaceous, ± irregularly rounded. Leaf-blade to 70 cm × 8-12 mm, abaxially ± glabrous, adaxially scabrid on prominent ribs; margins glabrous or prickle-toothed. Culm to 130 cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 20-30 cm, erect, nodding above, and lower branches also nodding; branches binate at nodes, very slender, naked for ½ to ¾ length, spikelets crowded distally; pedicels 0.5-2 mm, villous. Glumes unequal, membranous, scarious, glabrous, ovate, acute, keeled, 3-nerved; lower 6-7 mm, mostly ≥ lower floret, upper 7-8 mm, > second floret. Florets pale straw-coloured. ♂ florets: lemma 5-6.5 mm, oblong-ovate, lobes c. 1 mm, chartaceous with scarious tips, long hairs on keel below, minutely scabrid above, margins ciliate with soft, silvery hairs; awns 3.5-6 mm, slender, ± straight, insertion 3-4 mm above base; palea 4-5.5 mm, membranous, irregularly finely scabrid on keels; lodicules 1-1.6 mm, ± ovate, lobed, acute, glabrous; callus hairs to 1.25 mm; anthers 2-3 mm. ⚥ floret: lemma 4.5-6 mm, narrow-ovate, glabrous, apex minutely hairy, muticous to subapically mucronate 0.25-0.5 mm; palea 4-5.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, keel 1-(2) finely irregularly ciliate; lodicules 0.75-1 mm, ovate-oblong, abruptly tapering, often lateral lobed, glabrous; anthers 1-1.5 mm; gynoecium: ovary c. 1 mm, stigma-styles 4-5 mm; caryopsis c. 2 mm, embryo 0.5 mm, hilum 0.75 mm. Fig. 11. Plate 5D.

N.; S.; Ch.: throughout. In tussock grassland.

Indigenous.

FLORAL BIOLOGY

In all New Zealand plants the floral biology is identical viz two lower florets each with 2 lodicules and 3 stamens, and an upper ⚥ floret with 2 lodicules, 2 stamens with polliniferous anthers shorter than those in ♂ florets, and a gynoecium where the two broad styles are connate below; this is an andromonoecious system. Protogyny occurs in ⚥ flowers and the long stigmas are apically emergent; they are manifestly persistent even after caryopses have formed. No plants bore purely ♀ flowers; all plants have dimorphic anthers; all flowers are lodiculate. The debate, confusion, or misinterpretation of stamens in the apical floret (see de Paula 1975 op. cit.; Schouten and Veldkamp 1985 op. cit.) does not apply in New Zealand plants. In the few Chilean specimens that we have seen the apical floret bears two small (0.3-0.5 mm) sterile anthers, and the flower is thus female; the two lower flowers are ♂; this is a monoecious system.

Proliferation in spikelets in H. brunonis is described as predominant on Campbell Id by Zotov, V. D. Rec. Dom. Mus. 5: 101-146 (1965) at the time of his visit in 1961. Specimens are in CHR. In H. fusca on Campbell Id CHR 301473 W. B. Brockie Jan 1947 is the lone proliferating specimen in CHR.

In New Zealand species of Hierochloe often seem sympatric, as judged from specimens in CHR. The risks of natural hybridism seem high because of protogyny in ⚥ apical florets and duodichogamy within anthers of the three florets.

Also indigenous to Australia, New Guinea, and South America.

de Paula, M. E. Darwiniana 19: 422-457 (1975) admitted three varieties of H. redolens; we are unable to equate any with New Zealand material and therefore accord no infraspecific rank.

Nomenclatural concerns in, and the typification of, H. redolens as raised by Zotov (1973 op. cit.) were argued against by de Paula (1975 op. cit.); Schouten and Veldkamp (1985 op. cit.) found the argument over the locus classicus of Forsters' specimens immaterial because H. redolens is common to South America, Australasia and Malesia.

Disarrenum antarcticum Labill., Nov. Holl. Pl. 2: 83 t. 232 (1807), and its subsequent combinations, is based on an Australian provenance. Melica magellanica Desr. in Lamarck Encycl. Méth. Bot. 4: 72 (1797) and its subsequent combinations, is based on Commerson's specimen from the Straits of Magellan. Both names are treated by all authorities as synonymous with H. redolens. We have not seen the types for either, and having limited ourselves to material originating in New Zealand, have not included these names in our synonymy.

Hierochloe banksiana Endl. would be the appropriate name in Hierochloe should New Zealand plants no longer be referable to H. redolens.

Fig. 11 Hierochloe redolens S, spikelet, × 12; G 1, G 2, glumes, × 11; L, lemma of lower ♂ floret, × 11; L, Lemma of upper ⚥ floret, × 11; P, palea of lower ♂ floret dorsal view, × 11; P, palea of upper ⚥ floret, × 11; Lo, lodicules of ⚥ flower, × 24; O⚥, ovary, styles and stigmas of ⚥ flower, × 16; St♂, stamens of ♂ flower, × 16; St⚥, stamens of ⚥ flower, × 16. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X7E]