Peteie. — On Ne7c Native Plants. 443 



equal ; the lower obtuse, ovate, coriaceous, 3-7-uerved (usu- 

 ally 3-5-nerved), the nerves disappearing before reaching the 

 transparent membranous margin ; the upper similarly 3- 

 nerved. 



Flowering glume as broad as long, erose at the truncate 

 top, 9-nerved, the nerves not reaching as far as the scarious 

 transparent edge ; palea 2-nerved, nerves ciliate. 



Stamens 3, oblong, acute ; styles 2, long, openly plumose. 



Hab. Mount Ida'Kanges, 3,5b0ft.-4,500ft.; Hector Moun- 

 tains, 4,500ft. ; and Mount Cardrona, 5,000ft. This is not a 

 very characteristic member of the genus Triodia, but it seems 

 to have more characters in common with it than with any 

 other genus of [grasses at present recognized. The flowering 

 glumes are sometimes distinctly trifid. Its nearest native ally 

 is T. cxigua, Kirk. It is a nutritious grass, much relished by 

 sheep and horses, and usually closely cropped. 



9. Poa maniototo, nov. sp. 



Culms numerous, filiform, smooth, faintly grooved, 3in. 

 high or less, leafy below, bluish-green when dry. 



Leaves very short ; sheaths broad, white, membranous^ 

 broadly grooved ; blade linear, sub-involute or almost terete, 

 glabrous, not striate, with a single g]'oove above, semi-pungent, 

 ^in.-fin. long. 



Ligule rather long, usually divided into two acute projec- 

 tions of the broad sheath. 



Panicle small, contracted, of 4-10 large shortly-pedicelled 

 spikelets, each containing 4 or 5 flowers. 



Empty glumes unequal, acute, compressed, green with 

 white edges, the upper 3-nerved, the lower 1-nerved, nerves 

 rather faint. 



Flowering glumes silky all over, acute, 3-nerved, one nerve 

 medial, two lateral, the latter much less distinct. 



Palea 2-nerved, bifid at the apex, the nerves slightly or 

 strongly ciliate. 



Hah. Maniototo Plain, Upper Clutha basin, Mounts Pisa 

 and Cardrona ; altitudinal range 1,000ft. -4, 000ft. 



This grass is too small to be of economic value. Its 

 nearest congener is Poa linclsayi, Hook, f., from which its 

 larger spikelets and contracted panicles at once distinguish it. 

 It seems to have been hitherto confounded with Poa cxigua. 

 Hook, f., a species with which it has but little affinity. 



