Order GRAMINE^. 

 Germs ', Poa; Sub- Order, Festucacea. 



10. POA EXIGUA. 



LITTLE POA. 

 (Plate Z., B.) 

 POA EXIGUA, Hook. fil. Handb. Fl. N.Z., I., 338. 



A VERY small tufted, glabrous, alpine grass, found at 5 6000 feet 

 altitude. Culms i ij inches high ; sheaths membranous ; ligule short, 

 Leaves involute, erect, obtuse, acicular, 4- jj- inch long. Panicle race- 

 mose, j J inch long, of 4 8 spikelets. Spikelets \ inch long, pale 

 purple, 2-flowered, shortly pedicelled. Empty glumes i and 3-nerved. 

 Flowering glume roundish, with broad membranous margins, 5-nerved, 

 finely scabridus and shortly villous at base. Palea scarcely bifid, 

 2-nerved. Scales oblique, obtuse. Grain stout. DISTRIBUTION OF 

 SPECIES : NEW ZEALAND. 



The above description is chiefly made from a fragment of the plant originally 

 described and named by Dr. Hooker. Additional specimens of this species have 

 been recently collected by Mr. Petrie on Mount Pisa, Otago, at 4000 feet altitude, 

 which differ chiefly in larger size and more numerous spikelets. A short ligule is 

 also distinctly present in the membranous sheath. Both specimens are figured in 

 Plate L. In its affinity, this grass approaches Poa anceps varieties, in the short 

 villous tufts at the base of the flowering glume, and general facies of the plant. 

 In its larger forms, it has a very close growth of soft succulent leaves, arising from 

 prostrate branches, forming a thick short sward, and will probably prove to be a 

 valuable sheep grass. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : SOUTH ISLAND : 

 LAKE DISTRICT, OTAGO, (6000 feet) Hector and Buchanan; MOUNT 

 PISA, OTAGO, (4000 feet) Petrie. 



Reference to Plate L., A. : Fig. 1,1'. Plants. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4'. 

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

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



