Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Danthonia rigida Raoul, Ann. Sci. Nat. Ser. 3, Bot. 2: 116 (1844)

≡D. raoulii Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 246 (1854); 

Holotype: P! E. F. L. Raoul Nouvelle Zélande, Prom. de Banks, 1843.

=D. raoulii var. flavescens (Hook.f.) Hack. in Cheeseman Man. N.Z. Fl. 886  (1906)

≡D. flavescens Hook.f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 332  (1864); 

Lectotype: K (Photo!) Hector & Buchanan No. 8 Otago Lakes District (designated by Connor 1991 op. cit. p. 253).

narrow-leaved snow-tussock

Tall, stout, golden tussock with hairy fracturing sheaths and narrow, sweeping, long, deciduous leaves which form a dense litter. Leaf-sheath to 30 cm, dark brown below, keeled, interribs with abundant long and/or short hairs occasionally forming a contra-ligule, fragmenting into short segments, apical tuft of hairs to 2 mm. Ligule to 2 mm. Leaf-blade tough, flat or shallowly U-shaped, adaxially usually with dense weft of short or long hairs at base, abundant prickle-teeth above; margin thick, long hairy below; falling with part of sheath. Culm to 1.5 m, internodes infrequently long hairy; sheath hairy. Inflorescence open, pulvinate. Spikelets of up to 8 florets. Glumes glabrous, acute or very shortly awned, ≥ nearest lemma lobes; lower to 14 mm, 1-3-nerved, upper to 16 mm, 5-7-nerved, very occasionally long hairy on margin below. Lemma densely hairy on margin and in all internerves, hairs rarely absent, > sinus. Palea to 8.5 mm. Callus to 1.5 mm, hairs to 3.5 mm. Rachilla to 1.5 mm. Lodicules to 0.75 mm. Gynoecium: ovary to 1 mm; stigma-styles to 3 mm. Caryopsis to 3.5 mm. 2 n = 42. Fig. 16.

S.: east and west of Main Divide south of latitude 43 S.

Endemic.

Fig. 16 Chionochloa rigida S, spikelet, × 5; G 1, G 2, glumes, × 5; L, lemma dorsal view, × 5; P, palea dorsal view, × 5; Lo, lodicules, × 16; O, ovary, styles and stigmas, remnant third style, × 16; St, anthers, × 16. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X7J]