Flora of New Zealand Series

spartina

Stiff perennials 50-100 cm, with fleshy rhizomes, forming large dense clumps or swards. Leaf-sheath glabrous. Ligule 2-3 mm, densely ciliate. Leaf-blade 5-40 cm × 5-12 mm, persistent or caducous, coriaceous, flat or inrolled, glabrous, adaxially ribbed, narrowed to fine, hard tip. Culm erect, 5-8-(10) mm diam. at base, including closely ensheathing leaves. Panicle 10-30 cm, erect, contracted; spikes 2-8, 5-15 cm; rachis of each spike glabrous, tipped by bristle 1-4 cm. Spikelets 15-20 mm, 1-flowered, very rarely 2-flowered, oblong, pubescent, falling entire at maturity. Glumes unequal, lanceolate-oblong, acute, with short scattered hairs, keels ciliate; lower ⅔-⅘ length of upper and narrower, 1-nerved, upper = spikelet, 3-6-nerved, asymmetrical. Lemma ≤ upper glume, 1-3-nerved, lanceolate-oblong, obtuse, with short hairs above and on keel. Palea ≥ lemma, hyaline, glabrous. Anthers 8-12 mm, dehiscent. Caryopsis 10-12 × c. 1.5 mm. Fig. 19. Plate 2C.

N.: North Auckland, Auckland City, South Auckland (near Thames, Tauranga, near Raglan, near Kawhia), Gisborne, west and south Wellington coast; S.: Nelson, Marlborough (Havelock), Canterbury (Christchurch), south-east coast from Waikouaiti to Invercargill; St. Estuaries, especially around mid-tide and in salt marsh.

Naturalised from England.

The natural sterile hybrid S. ×townsendii gave rise to the fertile amphidiploid S. anglica by chromosome doubling. In N.Z. early reports of fertile plants or of seed, recorded as S. ×townsendii must refer to S. anglica, e.g., Bryce, J. Kew Bull. 1936: 32 (1936), recorded that seeds of S. ×townsendii were sent to N.Z. in 1928 and tested for germination. Partridge (1987 op. cit. p. 571) reported that S. anglica is now the most widespread and abundant spartina in N.Z. and has almost completely replaced S. ×townsendii.

Fig. 19 Spartina anglica S, spikelet, × 9; G 1, G 2, glumes, × 6; L, lemma dorsal and lateral view, × 6; P, palea ventral view, × 6; O, ovary, styles, stigmas, and stamens × 12; St, single anther, × 9. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X7M]