Class
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Poa tennantiana Petrie, Subantarctic Is. N. Z., 476 (1909)
Synonymy:
- ≡ Poa foliosa var. tennantiana (Petrie) Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl., ed. 2, 188 (1925)
Description
Stout, stiff-leaved, yellow-green perennial tufts to c. 1 m, from strong rhizomatous base covered by abundant fibrous remnants of leaf-sheaths; branching intravaginal; leaf-blades persistent. Leaf-sheath submembranous, striate, densely, retrorsely, minutely pubescent-scabrid between ribs in basal leaves, glabrous in cauline leaves, very light brown, later becoming darker and shredding into fibres. Ligule 6–16 mm, apically glabrous, entire, narrowed to a long fine point, abaxially short-pubescent. Leaf-blade 16–38 cm × 4.5–9 mm, flat, finely striate, abaxially smooth, adaxially minutely papillose, very rarely minutely ciliate-scabrid on ribs; margins ciliate-fimbriate for a short distance above ligule, otherwise glabrous, gradually narrowed to straight-sided acute tip. Culm 15–33 cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 9–16 cm, broad, dense but much-branched, upper branches almost completely hidden by numerous, rather small spikelets, lower branches naked towards base; rachis smooth, branches and pedicels ± scabrid to occasionally smooth. Spikelets 3.5–4.5 mm, 2–3-flowered, light brown. Glumes subequal, ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous; lower 2–2.5 mm, 1-nerved, upper 2.5–3 mm, 3-nerved; midnerve near tip and margins with sparse prickle-teeth. Lemma 3–3.5 mm, 5-nerved, ovate-elliptic, minutely pubescent-scabrid, nerves longer ciliate on lower ⅓, acute, or midnerve very shortly excurrent. Palea 2.5–3 mm, keels scabrid in upper ½, interkeel smooth or with a few prickle-teeth. Callus glabrous. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm, glabrous; prolongation twice as long. Lodicules 0.5–0.8 mm. Anthers 1–1.5 mm. Caryopsis c. 1.5 × 0.5 mm. 2n= 56.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
Bibliography
Cheeseman, T.F. 1925: Manual of the New Zealand Flora. Edition 2. Government Printer, Wellington.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Naturally Uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Naturally Uncommon]
Edgar, E. 1986: Poa L. in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24: 425–503.
Petrie, D. 1909: The Gramina of the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand. In: Chilton, C. (ed.) The subantarctic islands of New Zealand : reports on the geo-physics, geology, zoology, and botany of the islands lying to the south of New Zealand, based mainly on observations and collections made during an expedition in the government steamer "Hinemoa" (Captain J. Bollons) in November, 1907. Vol. 2. Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, Government Printer, Christchurch. 472–481.
