Rytidosperma nigricans (Petrie) Connor & Edgar
≡Danthonia semiannularis var. nigricans Petrie, T.N.Z.I. 46: 37 (1914)
≡D. gracilis var. nigricans (Petrie) Zotov, T.R.S.N.Z. 73: 234 (1943)
≡D. nigricans (Petrie) Calder, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 51: 8 (1937)
≡Notodanthonia nigricans (Petrie) Zotov, N.Z. J. Bot. 1: 123 (1963)
≡Thonandia nigricans (Petrie) H.P.Linder, Telopea 6: 612 (1996) comb. illeg.;
Holotype: WELT 40273A! D. P[etrie] Mt Hector, Tararuas, 3000-4000 ft, 29.1.1907.
Open tufts, rather stiffly erect; leaves about ½ length of culms to only slightly shorter; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath brownish or often purplish above, glabrous or long-hairy; apical tuft of hairs 1.5-2.5 mm. Ligule ± 0.2 mm. Leaf-blade to 15-(20) cm, usually folded, sometimes flat and margins inrolled, to 2 mm wide, glabrous or often a few scattered long hairs near collar, sometimes almost all leaves with some long hairs, margins occasionally finely scabrid. Culm to 30-(50) cm, internodes smooth but minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle usually erect, dark purple, to 3.5-(8.5) cm; rachis and pedicels densely but shortly scabrid, often with very slightly longer hairs above branch axils. Spikelets 3-(4)-flowered, awns exserted from glumes. Glumes usually dark purplish centrally, lanceolate, acute to acuminate, 6.5-9 mm, ± equal, 3-(5)-nerved. Lemma 1.5-2.5 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs continuous, > or ≈ lemma lobes, lower row of marginal tufts and a few weak central tufts, or ± continuous, elsewhere predominantly glabrous, occasionally some few isolated hairs between rows, margins hair-fringed; lobes 2.7-3.5 mm, tapering, awnless or very finely awn-tipped; central awn 6-8.5 mm, column 1-1.5 mm < upper lemma hairs. Palea 2.5-3 mm, « upper lemma hairs, interkeel and margins glabrous or occasionally 1-2 long hairs. Callus 0.2-0.3-(0.5) mm, a few short scattered marginal hairs not, or barely, reaching lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.8-1.2 mm. Anthers 0.5-0.8-(1.1) mm. Caryopsis 1.1-1.3 × 0.6 mm; embryo 0.5-0.7 mm; hilum 0.2-0.3 mm. 2 n = 24. Plate 12H.
N.: Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges; S.: along and west of Main Divide from Nelson to Southland, occasionally east of Divide; St. Wet or boggy sites in montane and alpine zones.
Endemic.
