Platk 224.— DESCHAMPSIA TENELLA. 



Family GRAMINEiE.] [Genus DESCHAMPSIA, Beauv. 



Deschampsia tenella, Peirle in Trans. N.Z. Inst, xxiii (1891), 402 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 878. 



The genus Deschampsia is represented in New Zealand by seven species ; but 

 of these, only one, the widely distributed D. ccespitosa, belongs to the typical 

 division of the genus. All the rest form a group distinguished by the awn being 

 nearly terminal and very small, or else entirely absent. Although best placed in 

 Deschampsia they have relationships with Catahrosa, in which genus one of them 

 was placed by Hooker, and with the South American Achneria. All the species 

 constituting the group are confined to New Zealand, and have a pre-eminently 

 montane and southern distribution. One is restricted to Macquarie Island, and two 

 others extend as far south as the Auckland and Campbell Islands. 



Deschampsia tenella, the species figured in the accompanying plate, was 

 originally discovered by Mr. Colenso on the summit of the Ruahine Range, during 

 his first journey thereto in 1845. Sir J. D. Hooker, in the " Flora Novse Zelandi«," 

 considered it to be identical with a species which he had gathered in Campbell 

 Island, and which he had described in the " Flora Antarctica " under the name of 

 Catahrosa antarctica, and this view was accepted by Mr. Buchanan in his work 

 on the New Zealand grasses. Mr. H. H. Travers collected the same plant on the 

 Tararua Mountains, and a little later it was observed by Mr. McKay on Mount 

 Arthur. In 1890 specimens obtained by Mr. Petrie in the Catlins River district 

 were critically examined by Mr. N. E. Brown, of the Kew Herbarium, and were 

 referred by him to the genus Deschampsia, a view which is also adopted by Professor 

 Hackel. 



Deschampsia tenella is probably not uncommon in mountain districts in both 

 the North and South Islands, altliough its recorded habitats at the present time 

 are but few. In the North Island it is not known below an altitude of 4,000 ft., 

 but in the South Island it descends to sea-level near Dunedin. The Campbell 

 Island plant with which it was united by Hooker is now known to be distinct, and 

 bears the name of Deschampsia Chapmani. 



Plate 224. Deschampsia tenella, dvawn from specbuens collected by Mr. Petrie m the Catlins 

 Elver district, southern Otago. Fig. 1, ligule of leaf (enlarged) ; 2, spikelet (x '.)) ; 3 and 4, outer 

 glumes {x 9) ; 5, the two flowers of the spikelet (x 9) ; 6, flowering-glume of lower flower (x 12) ; 

 7, flowering-glume of upper flower (x 12) ; 8, palea (x 12) ; 9, lodicules, stamens, and ovary (x 12) ; 

 10, lodicules (more enlarged). 



