Classification
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Agrostis muelleriana Vickery, Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium 1: 103 (1941)
Synonymy:
  • = Agrostis gelida F.Muell. (1855)
  • Agrostis canina var. β gelida (F.Muell.) Buchanan, Indig. Grasses of N. Z. t. 20A (1878)
  • = Agrostis canina var. β Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 328 (1864)
  • = Agrostis muelleri Benth., Fl. Austral. 7, 576 (1878)
 Description

Dense, often small, dull green, usually strict, perennial tufts, (3)–5–30 cm, with narrow, usually dark purplish, sometimes green spike-like panicles on slender culms much overtopping to scarcely overtopping leaves; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath ± membranous, light green or pale brownish, glabrous, ribs few distinct, rarely minutely scabrid above. Ligule 1–2–(3) mm, acute to truncate, usually fimbriate to lacerate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 1–7 cm × 0.4–0.7 mm diam., folded with involute margins, often filiform, or strict and firm, ± erect, sometimes more flattened and wider, to 2 mm, abaxially smooth or finely scabrid, adaxially finely scabrid on ribs; margins finely scabrid, narrowed to fine subobtuse tip; uppermost culm leaves abaxially scabrid. Culm erect, internodes glabrous. Panicle 1–4.5–(10) cm, contracted, erect, densely narrow-linear, longer panicles densely oblong, > 5 mm wide; rachis smooth or obscurely scabrid, branches and pedicels short, erect, capillary, finely scabrid. Spikelets (1.5)–2–3–(3.5) mm. Glumes ± unequal, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute to subobtuse, usually tinged deep reddish purple, occasionally entirely green, margins colourless or purplish, usually finely scabrid on keel and at times near tip, otherwise smooth or papillose; lower = spikelet, upper (1.4)–2–2.5–(3) mm. Lemma 1.4–2 mm, glabrous, 5-nerved, lateral nerves often faint, oblong-ovate, obtuse or truncate, usually minutely denticulate; awn 0, or present and dorsal, from midpoint or from just below upper ⅓, 0.5–2–(2.5) mm, delicate, usually projecting beyond glumes. Palea c. 0.4 mm, ovate. Lodicules 0.3–0.4 mm. Callus with very few minute hairs or glabrous. Anthers 0.4–1 mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.3–0.5 mm.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Bibliography
Bentham, G. 1878: Flora Australiensis. Vol. 7. Reeve, London.
Buchanan, J. 1878: The Indigenous Grasses of New Zealand. Vol. Part I & II. Wellington, N.Z.
Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Edgar, E.; Forde, M. B. 1991: Agrostis in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 29: 139–161.
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.