Poa costiniana

Poa costiniana Vickery. Contr.
New South Wales Natl Herb.
4: 214–215 (1970).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: IT: R. Helms 45793, Feb 1893, Australia: New
South Wales, Kosciusko Mt, 1524 m (L).

Key references
(books and floras):
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales
(349), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (326).

Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
, 4th edn (349).

Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 15–80 cm tall, 1–2 -noded. Mid-culm internodes
glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly
basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane, a
ciliolate membrane, 0.6–2(–3) mm long, abaxially hairy, truncate or obtuse.
Leaf-blades conduplicate or involute or convolute, (7–)10–22(–40) cm long,
(0.3–)0.5–0.9(–1.75) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, glabrous or
indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle pyramidal, 5–20 cm long.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–5), comprising 2–5 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, ovate, laterally compressed, 4.7–10 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume oblong, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, (1–)3 -nerved. Upper
glume oblong, 3–3.8 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3(–5) -nerved. Upper
glume surface smooth or asperulous.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 3.5–5.5 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Grain 2.5 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.

New South Wales:
Northern Tablelands, Southern Tablelands. Victoria: East Gippsland,
Snowfields. Tasmania: North East, Central Highlands, Ben Lomond, South
West.

Notes.
Populations from Mt Bogong and Mt Buffalo, Vic., differ from the typical form
and warrant further examination.

Endemic. SE Australia.
Characteristically found in alpine or subalpine bogs or relict bogs or
bordering streams or in very wet alpine grassland and extending up into grassland
especially at the higher altitudes where it is more stunted in growth. Flowers
Feb.

 

AVH 2011

  

                                    

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith