Flora of New Zealand Series

≡P. anceps var. ε alpina Hook.f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 339  (1864)

≡P. sclerophylla Berggr., Minneskr. Fisiogr. Sällsk. Lund Art. 8: 30 (1878) non Kunth (1833)

≡P. albida Buchanan Indig. Grasses N.Z. t. 50C  (1880) non Trin. (1831); 

Holotype: K! J. Haast 629 Mt Darwin and Mt Dobson, Canterbury, New Zealand, 4-6000 ft, 1862.

Glaucous, small, stiff, dense perennial tufts, 7-25 cm; leaf-blades persistent; branching intravaginal, with a few extravaginal shoots at plant base. Basal leaf-sheaths very light brown, upper sheaths purple-green, coriaceous, distinctly ribbed, glabrous, very much wider than leaf-blade. Ligule 0.5-1.5 mm, apically glabrous, rounded, ± erose, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade (0.5)-1.5-5 cm long, folded, c. 3 mm wide if flattened, rigid, coriaceous, prominently nerved, abaxially usually smooth, adaxially densely, minutely scabrid, midrib scabrid near curved scabrid tip; margins scabrid, incurved. Culm 6-18-(25) cm, often entirely enclosed by sheaths of uppermost leaves, internodes minutely scabrid below panicle. Panicle 1.5-5.5 cm, contracted, oblong, narrow and spike-like, with numerous, densely packed spikelets; rachis and short stiff branches minutely scabrid. Spikelets 2.5-3.5 mm, (2)-3-4-flowered, light green, often purple-tinged. Glumes ± equal, almost overtopping spikelets, (1.5)-2-2.5-(3) mm, 3-nerved, midnerve sparsely scabrid; lower elliptic-lanceolate, subacute, upper oblong-elliptic, subobtuse, often scabrid near tip; margins sparsely scabrid. Lemma 2-2.5 mm, 5-nerved, ovate-elliptic, obtuse, midnerve scabrid, internerves minutely papillose and often minutely scabrid; margins membranous, wide, edged with scattered prickle-teeth. Palea c. 1.5 mm, keels scabrid, interkeel minutely papillose with a few prickle-teeth. Callus glabrous. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm, minutely papillose; prolongation occasionally twice as long. Lodicules 0.3-0.4 mm. Anthers 0.4-0.6 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.4-0.5 mm; stigma-styles 0.6-1.2 mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.5 mm. 2 n = 28.

S.: east of Main Divide. Subalpine to alpine in scree, stony ground on moraines and loose debris in fellfield.

Endemic.

This glaucous scree plant is very distinct from other N.Z. spp. of Poa because of its stiff, scabrid, close-packed leaves and compact, spike-like panicle.