Plate 230.— POA DIPSACEA. 



Family GRAMINE^.J [Genus POA, Linn. 



Poa dipsacea, Pelrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst, xxvi (1894), 271 ; Chee-sem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 906. 



Mr. D. Petrie, who in 1893 collected specimens of this handsome grass near the 

 sources of the Broken River, in tlie Canterbury Alps, was the first to recognize its 

 distinctness as a species, and to describe it under the name which it still bears. Ten 

 years before, however, it had been gathered in the same district by Mr. T. Kirk 

 and Mr. J. D. Enys, and a few years later by myself. I have also observed it in 

 ravines on the Raglaii Mountains, Nelson ; and Mr. Townson has sent me specimens 

 collected on Boundary Peak, the northern termination of the Brunner Range, Buller 

 Valley. Dr. Cockayne has also observed it on the Craigieburn Mountains and else- 

 where in the Canterbury Alps. Probably it is not uncommon in moist ravines in 

 the central chain of the Southern Alps from the Wairau Gorge southwards to the 

 middle or south of Canterbury. Its altitudinal range is from 3,000 ft. to 5,000 ft. 



P. dipsacea is usually found in crevices of rock by the sides of streams, or occa- 

 sionally in wet gravel in similar localities, but in all cases in situations where it can 

 obtain a constant supply of moisture with free drainage. In such places it often 

 exhibits much luxuriance of growth, producing great masses of soft pale-green 

 foliage. I am not aware that it possesses any economic value ; but it is rarely seen 

 in sufficient quantity to be of much importance. 



As a species Poa dipsacea is closely allied to Berggren's Poa pusilla, from which, 

 however, it is readily separated by the larger size, flatter leaves, much larger spike- 

 lets, and by the much more acute flowering-glumes, which have more scabrid nerves. 

 It should be remarked that Berggren's P. pusilla was founded on depauperated 

 specimens, and that the usual state of the species is larger than that described and 

 figured by him. 



Plate 230. Poa dipsacea, drawn from specimens collected by the Broken River, Canterbury 

 Alps, at an elevation of 3,500 ft. Fig. 1, ligule of leaf (x 4) ; 2, spikelet (x 4) ; 3, outer glume (x 6) ; 

 4, inner glume (x 6) ; 5, flowering-glume and palea (x 6) ; 6, flowering-glume (x 6) ; 7, palea ( x 6) ; 

 8, lodicules and ovary (x 6) ; 9, a single lodicule more highly magnified (x 12) ; 10, anther (x 6). 



