A very remarkable species. I have reunited Mr. Buchanan's P. intermedia with it, there being no differences save those of size and habit, in which respect the two forms pass into one another by insensible gradations. Professor Hackel also takes the same view. Small states of P. cæspitosa can always be distinguished by the almost obsolete ligules and by the long crisped hairs on the callus of the flowering glume.
P. Colensoi is one of the most important of the indigenous pasture-grasses. It is eaten by all kinds of stock, and is a specially valuable sheep-grass in mountain districts.
14. P. acicularifolia, Buch. N.Z. Grasses, t. 49a.—Much branched at the base, forming compact leafy glaucous-green patches 2–6 in. across; branches short, curved, densely leafy. Culms very slender, almost filiform, smooth, naked for the greater part of their length, 2–6 in. high. Leaves imbricating on the branches, crowded, short, ⅙–½ in. long, involute and terete, curved, rigid, smooth, suddenly narrowed into an acute or acicular tip; sheaths short, pale, lax; ligules very long, sheathing, deeply 2-fid, membranous, hyaline, decurrent along the margins of the sheath. Panicle ½–1 in. long, broadly ovate, lax, of 3–10 spikelets; branches few, slender, capillary, scabrid. Spikelets compressed, about ¼ in. long, 3–6-flowered. Two outer glumes unequal, oblong-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved, smooth or slightly scabrid above. Flowering glumes oblong-ovate, subacute, 5-nerved, densely villous with short silky hairs below the middle, minutely rough above, callus sometimes with a tuft of crisped hairs. Palea almost as long as the glume, linear-oblong, silky on the keels. Anthers long, linear, about 112 in. long.
South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur, A. Mackay! Canterbury—Limestone rocks in the Broken River Basin, Enys! Kirk! T.F.C. 2000–4000 ft.
Very closely allied to P. Colensoi, and chiefly distinguished by the peculiar habit, short rigid acicular leaves, and densely silky flowering glumes.
15. P. pygmæa, Buch. N.Z. Grasses, t. 50a.—Small, much branched, very densely tufted, forming compact rigid patches 2–4 in. diam. and ½–1 in. high. Culms very short, clothed throughout with densely imbricating leaves. Leaf-blades very short, ⅛–⅓ in. long, extremely rigid and coriaceous, folded, about 120 in. broad when spread out, subacute, strongly grooved, quite smooth; ligules broad, thin. Panicle reduced to 1–3 spikelets; pedicels short, smooth. Spikelets about ⅙ in. long, brownish-green, often tinged with purple, 3–5-flowered. Two outer glumes slightly unequal, oblong-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved, quite smooth. Flowering glumes ovate, subacute, faintly 5-nerved, smooth, lower half clothed with short white silky hairs. Palea ¼ shorter than the glume, ciliate on the keels. Anthers long, linear.
South Island: Otago—Summit of Mount Pisa, altitude 6000 ft., Petrie!
A very remarkable little species, quite unlike any other.
