Order GRAMINE^ 

 Genus, Poa : Sub-Order, Fcstucacece. 



11. POA ALBIDA, n.s. 



WHITE FLOWERED POA. 



(Plate Z., C.) 

 POA ANCEPS, var. E., alpina, Handb. FL, N.Z., L, 339. 



A SMALL tufted, deeply rooting, greenish-white grass, found at 4 6000 

 feet altitude. Flowers December February. Perennial. Culms 4 6 

 inches high, smooth, stout. Leaves shorter than the culms, i 2 inches 

 long, involute, rigid, decussate, tips acicular, grooved and scabrid on 

 the ridges ; sheaths deeply grooved and scabrid ; ligule short, truncate. 

 Panicle much contracted, nearly white when dry, i 2 inches long, of 

 several short branches, densely flowered. Sptkelets very small, short, 

 broad, scabridus, 2 3 flowered. Empty glumes 3-nerved. Flowering 

 glume 5-nerved. Palea bifid, 2-nerved. Scales oblique, acuminate. 

 Anthers short. Grain sharply pointed, and bent inward at the top. 

 DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES : NEW ZEALAND. 



This peculiar little alpine grass is described in the Handbook of the Flora of 

 New Zealand as a variety of Poa anceps, with a note added by the author, *' that 

 it may perhaps prove a different species." An examination of its details confirms 

 this opinion, and it has therefore been described as a distinct species. The long 

 flocculent silky hair at the base of the flowering glume and long anthers, so 

 characteristic of Poa anceps varieties, being both absent. The rigid, harsh 

 herbage of this little grass, does not recommend it to favourable notice, as it will 

 probably prove unpalatable to stock. DISTRIBUTION IN NEW ZEALAND : 

 SOUTH ISLAND: SNOW HOLES ON MOUNT DARWIN, ascending to 

 6000 feet on MOUNT DOBSON Haast ; NELSON MOUNTAINS (5000 feet) 

 H. H. Travers. 



Reference to Plate L., C. : Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 

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

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



