Class
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Poa astonii Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 38: 423 (1906) – as astoni
Synonymy:
- = Poa oraria Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 196 (1910)
- ≡ Poa astonii var. oraria (Petrie) Zotov, Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 73: 236 (1943)
Vernacular Name(s):
Blue shore tussock
Description
Tightly packed, wiry-leaved small glaucous tussocks, 10–40 cm, spreading in narrow fans from a slender rhizome; branching intravaginal; leaf-blades disarticulating at ligule. Leaf-sheath light brownish to stramineous, sometimes purple, glabrous, shining, ± coriaceous with broad membranous margins, ribs inconspicuous. Ligule 1–2 mm, apically glabrous, entire, rounded and slightly tapered, abaxially slightly scabrid near base, or densely scabrid throughout. Leaf-blade (5)–10–30–(40) cm × 0.5–1 mm diam., inrolled, not keeled, usually erect, occasionally curled above, abaxially glabrous, adaxially pubescent, tip long-acicular. Culm (5)–20–30–(45) cm, ≤ leaves, internodes glabrous. Panicle 5–10–(12) cm, narrow, stiff; branches short, ± erect, glabrous to finely pubescent-scabrid, tipped by few, large spikelets. Spikelets 5.5–12 mm, 3–6–(8)-flowered, light greenish brown. Glumes subequal, subacute to acuminate, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, ± smooth, occasionally a few prickle-teeth on midnerve near tip; lower 2–5–(6) mm, 1–3-nerved, upper 2–5.5–(7) mm, 3–(5)-nerved; margin finely ciliate. Lemma 3.5–7 mm, 3–5-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, usually shortly mucronate, outer lateral nerves very distinct, internerves minutely scabrid or very rarely smooth, or prickle-teeth fewer between lateral nerves and keel, but always very dense and in several rows along keel, with longer crinkled hairs on lower ½ of midnerve, and near base of lateral nerves, often also on internerves near base; margins finely fimbriate. Palea 3–6 mm, keels and flanks with dense short prickle-teeth or minute hairs, the teeth on keels arranged in several rows, interkeel with minute prickle-teeth or hairs, often almost glabrous centrally; rarely palea glabrous except at fimbriate tip. Callus with short tuft of crinkled hairs. Rachilla 0.5-c. 1 mm, with sparse, short, fine hairs, or densely to minutely finely scabrid; prolongation twice as long. Lodicules 0.5–1 mm, occasionally hair-tipped. Anthers c. 2–3 mm. Caryopsis c. 1.5 × 0.5 mm. 2n= 28. Plate 4A.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]
Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
Bibliography
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. [Not Threatened]
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. [Not Threatened]
Edgar, E. 1986: Poa L. in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24: 425–503.
Petrie, D. 1906 ("1905"): Description of a New Native Grass. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 38: 423–424.
Petrie, D. 1910 ("1909"): Description of a New Native Grass (Poa). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute (42): 196–196.
Zotov, V.D. 1943: Certain Changes in the Nomenclature of New Zealand Species of Gramineae. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 73: 233–238.
