Order GRAMINEZE. 
Genus Poa. 
Sub-Order Festucaceal 
9.—POA I'VOM.HA, n.s. 
DWARF POA. 
(Plate L. A.) 
A small patch grass, rooting from the prostrate branches, found at 4000—6000 feet altitude. Flowers 
January—February. Perennial. Culms J inch long, terminating branches 1 inch long, the latter 
densely clothed with short leaves. Leaves inch long, involute, rigid, with acicular tips ; ligule short, 
truncate. Panicle racemose, of 1—3 spikelets. $ pikelets large, short, broad, finely scabridous, 2—3- 
flowered. Empty glumes 3-nerved. Flowering glume 5-nerved and shortly villous at base. Palea 
2-fid, 2-nerved. Scales oblique, acute. Anthers long. Distribution of Species : NEW 
ZEALAND. 
This curious little patch grass, according to Mr. Petrie, who first discovered it, is abundant on 
Mount Pisa, in the Lake District, Otago, at an altitude of 4000—6000 feet. It is closely allied in the 
structure of its inflorescence to varieties of Poa anceps; but the absence of flocculent silky hair at the 
base of the flowering glume disunites it from this group, and the dense leafy habit of the branches is 
entirely different from every known New Zealand Poa. From the short rigid growth of this grass, it 
can only be of value as food for sheep; and from the close structure of its branches, which peculiarly 
adapts it to resist the destructive effects both of frost and fire, it may prove very permanent in mountain 
pasturage. Distribution in New Zealand : SOUTH ISLAND: MOUNT PISA (4000— 
6000 feet altitude)—W. Petrie. 
Reference to Plate L. A: Fig. 1. Plant. 2. Spikelet. 3. Floret. 4, 4'. Nervation of empty 
glumes. 5. Nervation of flowering glume. 6, Nervation of Palea. 7. Scale. 
