Classification
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Rytidosperma nigricans (Petrie) Connor & Edgar, New Zealand J. Bot. 17: 331 (1979)
Synonymy:
  • Danthonia semiannularis var. nigricans Petrie, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 46: 37 (1913 [1914])
  • Danthonia nigricans (Petrie) Calder, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 51: 8 (1937)
  • Danthonia gracilis var. nigricans (Petrie) Zotov, Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 73: 234 (1943)
  • Notodanthonia nigricans (Petrie) Zotov, New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 123 (1963)
  • Thonandia nigricans (Petrie) H.P.Linder (1996) nom. illeg.
 Description

Open tufts, rather stiffly erect; leaves about ½ length of culms to only slightly shorter; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath brownish or often purplish above, glabrous or long-hairy; apical tuft of hairs 1.5–2.5 mm. Ligule ± 0.2 mm. Leaf-blade to 15–(20) cm, usually folded, sometimes flat and margins inrolled, to 2 mm wide, glabrous or often a few scattered long hairs near collar, sometimes almost all leaves with some long hairs, margins occasionally finely scabrid. Culm to 30–(50) cm, internodes smooth but minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle usually erect, dark purple, to 3.5–(8.5) cm; rachis and pedicels densely but shortly scabrid, often with very slightly longer hairs above branch axils. Spikelets 3–(4)-flowered, awns exserted from glumes. Glumes usually dark purplish centrally, lanceolate, acute to acuminate, 6.5–9 mm, ± equal, 3–(5)-nerved. Lemma 1.5–2.5 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs continuous, > or ≈ lemma lobes, lower row of marginal tufts and a few weak central tufts, or ± continuous, elsewhere predominantly glabrous, occasionally some few isolated hairs between rows, margins hair-fringed; lobes 2.7–3.5 mm, tapering, awnless or very finely awn-tipped; central awn 6–8.5 mm, column 1–1.5 mm < upper lemma hairs. Palea 2.5–3 mm, « upper lemma hairs, interkeel and margins glabrous or occasionally 1–2 long hairs. Callus 0.2–0.3–(0.5) mm, a few short scattered marginal hairs not, or barely, reaching lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.8–1.2 mm. Anthers 0.5–0.8–(1.1) mm. Caryopsis 1.1–1.3 × 0.6 mm; embryo 0.5–0.7 mm; hilum 0.2–0.3 mm. 2n= 24. Plate 12H.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Calder, J.W. 1937: A cytological study of some New Zealand species and varieties of Danthonia. Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany 51: 1–9.
Connor, H. E.; Edgar, E. 1979: Rytidosperma Steudel (Notodanthonia Zotov) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 17: 311–337.
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]
Petrie, D. 1914 ("1913"): Descriptions of New Native Phanerogams. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 46: 32–39.
Zotov, V.D. 1943: Certain Changes in the Nomenclature of New Zealand Species of Gramineae. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 73: 233–238.
Zotov, V.D. 1963: Synopsis of the grass subfamily Arundinoideae in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 1: 78–136.