Order GRAMINE^. 

 Genus, Poa ; Sub-Order, Festucacece. 



3 POA ANCEPS, VAR. f. MINIMA. 



MINUTE CREEPING POA. 

 (Plate XL VL F.) 



A VERY small creeping rooted grass. Perennial. Culms i 2 ii iches high, 

 smooth. Leaves few, shorter than the culms, very narrow, strict , spreading 

 sheaths, striated ; ligule very short. Panicle erect, J f inch long, 

 spikelets 3 5 shortly branched. Spikelets i inch long, flat, 34 

 flowered. Empty glumes 3-nerved. Flowering glume 5-nerv p ed, finely 

 scabridus and tufted, with long flocculent silky hair at the bas e. Palea 

 bifid, 2-nerved. Anthers long. Scale oblique, acute. Gr<vin stout, 

 oblong. DISTRIBUTION OF VAR. f. MINIMA : NEW ZEALAN "D. 



This peculiar creeping rooted little grass, might almost be considered as a good 

 species. It was discovered among the roots of larger grasses, collected I ay Mr. A. 

 Mackay, on Mount Arthur, at an altitude of 4200 feet, some of which -were also 

 varieties of Poa anceps, and attaining an unusual size in this locali.ty. The 

 diminutive size of the present variety, cannot therefore be ascribed to vigour of 

 climate at this altitude, but more probably, to a well marked inherent ten .dency in 

 this species, to vary under all circumstances. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW Zi JALAND : 

 SOUTH ISLAND : MOUNT ARTHUR (4200 feet) A. Mackay. 



Reference to Plate XL VI. F. : Fig- 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret.' 4, 4'. 

 Nervation of empty glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6. Nerv.ltion of 

 Palea. 7. Scale. 8, 8'. Grain, front and side view. 



