Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Arundo fulvida Buchanan, T.N.Z.I. 6: 242 (1874)

≡A. conspicua var. fulvida (Buchanan) Kirk, T.N.Z.I. 10: app. xliii (1879); 

Holotype: WELT 59573! J. Buchanan Wellington, 1873; ♀.

Very tall, stout tussock with sharp, flexible leaves, and inflorescences with pendent branches. Leaf-sheath green under white epicuticular wax, glabrous. Ligule to 1 mm. Collar light brown, glabrous. Leaf-blade to 2.5 m × 2 cm, soft, flexible, tapering to thin point; abaxially glabrous below becoming very scabrid from rows of abundant prickle-teeth, adaxially glabrous except for caducous long hairs near margins; margins long hairy below becoming lightly prickle-toothed. Culm to 3.5 m, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 1 m, branches pendent; rachis scabrid, branches and pedicels short stiff hairy, long hairs at axils and below spikelet. Spikelets to 20 mm, of 2-3 florets. Glumes ± equal, to 15 mm, ≤ florets, 1-nerved. Lemma to 1 mm, 3-nerved, scabrid above; lateral lobes to 2 mm; hairs to 7 mm radiating from below and < lemma; central awn to 13 mm. Palea to 4.5 mm, attenuated, apex hair-tipped, keels ciliate, interkeel and flanks scabrid above. Callus hairs to 1.5 mm. Rachilla to 0.5 mm, glabrous. Lodicules to 0.75 mm. Anthers of ⚥ flowers to 3.7 mm, yellow; of ♀ flowers to 2.2 mm, white. Gynoecium: of ⚥ flowers ovary to 0.6 mm, stigma-styles to 1.75 mm, of ♀ flowers ovary to 0.75 mm, stigma-styles to 2.5 mm. Caryopsis 1.5-2 mm; embryo to 0.75 mm; hilum to 1 mm. 2 n = 90. Fig. 17. Plate 8A.

N.: Stream, lake, and forest margins, and in wet places and on hillsides, to 1300 m; S.: very occasional in Nelson-Marlborough. FL late Nov-Dec.

Endemic.

Natural populations comprise 66% ⚥ and 34% ♀ plants.

Usually a species of open places with large inflorescences of drooping branches. Specimens gathered in forests at Kerikeri and nearby Puketi Forest have narrow panicles; CHR 333099 H. Carse Kaiaka, Nov 1906, is typical of the former: CHR 35158 H. H. Allan Kerikeri River, Dec 1941; CHR 469825a,b A. P. Druce 900 Puketi Forest, Dec 1989; CHR 477325 P. J. de Lange 1282 Kerikeri, Nov 1991 are typical of the latter. Among these specimens spikelet length, awns exceeding glumes, anthoecium sizes, anther length, caryopsis size correspond to C. fulvida.

The usual geographic range for C. fulvida is North Id, but it is popularly planted in gardens in South Id from which it can escape, e.g., at Oaro, Kaikoura coast, and elsewhere nearby e.g. Okarahia Stream, Hundalees. In northern South Id on D'Urville Id and Maud Id a few plants occur; the latter may have been introduced.

Fig. 17 Cortaderia fulvida S, spikelet, × 10; G 1, G 2, glumes, × 8; L, lemma dorsal view, × 8; P, palea dorsal view, × 8; Lo, lodicules, × 20; O⚥, ovary, styles and stigmas ⚥ flower, × 15; O♀, ovary, styles and stigmas of ♀ flower, × 15; St⚥, anthers of ⚥ flower, × 15; St♀, anthers of ♀ flower, × 15. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X7K]