Order GRAMINE^E. 

 Genus Poa ; Sub- Order, Festucacae. 



2. POA FOLIOSA, VAR. c. 



MINUTE POA. 

 (Plate, XLHL, B.) 



A VERY minute, tufted, alpine grass. Perennial. Culms i 2 inches 

 high, glabrous. Leaves \ i inch long, very narrow, involute, obtuse, 

 acicular. Panicle \ | inch long. Spikelets 26 shortly pedicelled, 

 compressed, i inch long, 2 4 flowered. Empty glumes, 3-nerved. 

 Flowering glume glabrjus, 3-nerved, and with tufts of flocculent silky 

 hairs at base. Palea bifid, 2 -nerved. Anthers long. Scale oblique. 

 Grain linear. DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES : NEW ZEALAND. 



This small grass appears to be rare, having only been collected in two localities. 

 A large gap exists between this variety and the previous one, var. B., with no 

 apparent intermediate forms, and but for the 3-nerved flowering glume, it might 

 have been placed as a variety of Poa anceps, with which species it otherwise 

 agrees in every respect. Its very diminute size might cause it to rank as an 

 inferior pasture grass, but when it is considered how close sheep can graze on poor 

 pastures, it may, where abundant on barren slopes, prove a very relishing nibble 

 to hungry flocks. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : SOUTH ISLAND : 

 MOUNT EGLINTON, (3000 feet) J. Morton; MOUNT ARTHUR, (4200 

 feet) A. Mackay. 



Reference to plate XLIII. B. : Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 

 4, 4'. Nervation of empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nerva- 

 tion of Palea. 7. Scale. 8, 8'. Grain, front and side views. 



