Deyeuxia aucklandica (Hook.f.) Zotov
≡Agrostis aucklandica Hook.f., Fl. Antarct. 1: 96 (1845)
≡Deyeuxia filiformis var. aucklandica (Hook.f.) Zotov, T.R.S.N.Z. 73: 235 (1943) comb. illeg., varietal epithet legit.;
Neotype: WELT 76210! B. C. A[ston] [Auckland Is], Port Ross, 8.1.1909 (designated by Zotov 1965 op. cit. p. 139).
=D. setifolia Hook.f., Fl. N.Z. 1: 299, t. 65B (1853)
≡Agrostis setifolia (Hook.f.) Hook.f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 329 (1864) non Brot. (1804)
≡Calamagrostis setifolia (Hook.f.) Cockayne N.Z. Dept Lands Rep. Bot. Surv. Tongariro Natl Park 35 (1908);
Lectotype: K! Colenso 922 N. Zealand, grass [small grass from near summit (Ruahines)] (designated by Edgar 1995 op. cit. p. 6).
Open to dense, stiff tufts or small tussocks, 6-35-(55) cm; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath subcoriaceous, distinctly ribbed, smooth, or sparsely scabrid to densely scaberulous between ribs, light green to light brown, rarely purplish. Ligule 0.5-2 mm, truncate, abaxially smooth or rarely sparsely minutely hairy or scabrid. Leaf-blade 2.5-15 cm × 0.3-1.5 mm, folded with inrolled margins, setaceous to filiform or wiry, abaxially smooth, or rarely scabrid, adaxially scabrid on ribs, margins sparsely scabrid, narrowed to blunt tip. Culm 4-35 cm, erect or curved, sometimes geniculate at base, nodes usually inconspicuous, internodes either distinctly scabrid below panicle (most North Id plants), to slightly scabrid near panicle or completely smooth. Panicle 2-5.5-(11) cm × (2)-3-18-(22) mm, ± loosely spiciform, narrowly branched, widest at anthesis, later becoming contracted; rachis, branches and pedicels densely scabrid, or rachis smooth and branches scabrid or smooth. Spikelets 3-5.5 mm, greenish or purplish, becoming pale brown. Glumes 1-3-nerved, linear- to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, membranous, often scabrid near tip and on midnerve above. Lemma (2)-2.4-3.8 mm, usually ± ¾ length of glumes, submembranous, smooth to finely papillose, sometimes finely scabrid above, ovate-lanceolate, apex hyaline, truncate, denticulate; awn 2-4.5 mm, usually stout and reflexed, projecting from between glumes, occasionally slightly twisted at base, from upper ⅓ of lemma or c. middorsal. Palea ˜ lemma, keels scabrid in upper ½, interkeel sometimes sparsely scabrid, apex obtuse or bifid. Callus hairs rather dense, 1.5-2.5 mm, c. ½-⅔ length of lemma, very rarely = lemma. Rachilla prolongation 1-1.5 mm, tipped by a strong tuft of hairs 1-2 mm reaching lemma apex or slightly overtopping lemma. Lodicules 0.6-1 mm, lanceolate, subacute. Anthers 0.6-1.4 mm. Caryopsis 1.6-2.2 × 0.4-0.9 mm.
N.: mountains south from East Cape and on Mt Egmont; S.: mountains along and west of Main Divide, and in Fiordland, Otago and Southland, scattered to the east in Marlborough and Canterbury; St.; A. Tussock grassland, open scrub, and open rocky sites; montane to alpine.
Endemic.
Edgar (1995 op. cit. p. 7) noted that CHR 86368 A. P. Druce between Ruapehu and Mt Hauhungatahi, c. 3500', bog, March 1958, appeared to be a small form of D. aucklandica with panicles < 2 cm, spikelets c. 2.5 mm, minutely (c. 0.2 mm) awned lemma and glabrous palea.
The record of ? D. setifolia Hook.f. for Australia, from Mt Kosciusko and the Bogong High Plains [Willis, J. H. Handbk Pl. Vict. ed. 2, 1: 432 (1970)] referred to the closely related Australian endemic D. affinis M.Gray.
