Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Gramineae Juss.
Genus
Poa L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Poa schistacea Edgar & Connor, New Zealand J. Bot. 37: 63 (1999)
 Description

Long-rhizomatous dioecious perennial, 10–30–(60) cm, with narrow, involute, greyish green, stiffly erect to curved leaves, often equalling the culms; branching extravaginal; leaf-blades persistent. Leaf-sheath light greenish to brownish grey or stramineous, glabrous, ± shining, submembranous, keeled above, with several prominent ribs. Ligule 0.5–1.0–(1.5) mm, apically glabrous, entire, truncate or sometimes rather abruptly tapered centrally, abaxially minutely pubescent. Leaf-blade (2.5)–4.5–18.5–(28) cm × 0.5–1 mm diam., involute, abaxially glabrous, adaxially minutely pubescent; tip acicular. Culm 4.5–25–(53) cm, internodes smooth, sparsely minutely scabrid below panicle. Panicle (2)–3–6.5–(8) cm, with short ascending branches and close-set spikelets; rachis and branches smooth or with sparse prickle-teeth. Spikelets 4.5–8.5–(10) mm, (2)–3–6–(7)-flowered, green to stramineous, often purple-suffused. Glumes subequal, glabrous; lower 2.5–4 mm, 1-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, upper 3–5.5 mm, 3-nerved, elliptic-ovate, acute to subobtuse. Lemma 4–5 mm, 5-nerved, inner lateral nerves sometimes faint, elliptic-ovate, acute, glabrous apart from a few hairs at base of keel and outer lateral nerves. Palea 3–3.5 mm, narrower than lemma; keels with sparse minute prickle-teeth in upper ½-¾ or rarely smooth, occasionally keels and lower ½ of interkeel with sparse minute hairs. Callus with tufts of long fine hairs below lemma nerves. Rachilla < 1 mm, glabrous. Dioecious: ♂ with anthers 2–3 mm; ♀ with lodicules 0.3–0.6 mm, sterile anthers 0.2–1 mm, ovary 0.5–0.9 mm, stigma-styles 1.2–2.6 mm, caryopsis 1.5–2.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
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.; Connor, H. E. 1999: Species novae graminum Novae-Zelandiae I. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37(1): 63–70.