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Diagnostic features for identification in the field

[poaman]

Poa maniototo
  • * Native grass
  • * Tiny bluish or pale green tufts.
  • * Leaves 2.5 - 15mm long; 0.5mm wide.
  • * Leaves stiff, curled, rolled; smooth, except at margins where rough to touch.
  • * Whitish sheath which is shiny, smooth and persistent.
  • * Small even ligule, fringed with minute hairs
  • * Compact head consisting of a small oblong cluster of several, pale-tipped bluish spikelets. Awns absent.



    References:
  • Wilson, H.E. 1996: Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park, Manuka Press, Christchurch
  • Jane, G. 1995: Field guide to grasses. 1. Alpine grasses.



    [poalin]

    Poa lindsayi - Lindsay's poa
  • * Tiny native grass- blue-grey perennial tufts; inconspicuous
  • * Leaf 0.5 - 5cm long; 1 - 3mm wide.
  • * Leaves finely folded.
  • * Margins & upper suurface of leaves rough; lower surface smooth
  • * Sheath thin and rough to the touch
  • * Ligule is even and ragged.
  • * Flower stalk is 2 - 4 cm long; slender, purplish and smooth.
  • * Flowerhead is open, glabrous, silvery grey.
  • * Culm is disproportionately long; no awn

    References:
  • Wilson, H.E. 1996: Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park, Manuka Press, Christchurch
  • Jane, G. 1995: Field guide to grasses. 1. Alpine grasses.





    [poalin]

    Raoulia australis - scabweed

  • * A close-set creeping and rooting native plant with neatly packed shoot tips.

  • * Greyish green mats, which develop a tight clean edge to the plant

  • * Daisy flowers; heads small (3 - 4 mm across), bright yellow, profuse

  • * Seeds fluffy, windborne.

  • * Occupies stony open places

    References:
  • Salmon, J.T. 1996: A field guide to the alpine plants of New Zealand, Godwit Publishers.
  • Wilson, H.E. 1996: Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park, Manuka Press, Christchurch



    [poaman]

    Raoulia beauverdii

  • * Native; flat open cushions

  • * Leaves clad on both surfaces by dense soft white hairs.

  • * Tips of flower bracts covered in dense dark-brown to black hairs.

  • * Seeds fluffy, windborne.



    References:
  • Allan, H.H.1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Government Printer, Wellington.







    [poalin]

    Lepidium sisymbrioides - Native cress
  • * Small native rosette herb, red-brown-green in colour
  • * Dioecious i.e. a plant is either female or male.
  • * Leaves many, linear in outline with divisions arranged on either side of the midrib (.e. pinnate)
  • * Leaves 1-10cm long
  • * Uually many flower stems which are slender, branched and up to 10cm long.
  • * Small white flowers tending to be concentrated at the end of the flower stalk.
  • * Fewer leaves on stem (cauline) than found on L. sisymbrioides subsp. matau.

    References:
  • Allan, H.H.1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Government Printer, Wellington.





    [poalin]

    Aira caryophyllea - Silvery hair grass

  • * Small exotic annual grass

  • * Dull grey-green or reddish green, erect tufts.

  • * Long ligule.

  • * Spikelets very small, silvery, on hair-like branches

  • * Each spikelet has 2 awns which cross



    References:
  • Wilson, H.E. 1996: Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park, Manuka Press, Christchurch





    [poalin]

    Vulpia bromoides (Squirrel-tailed fescue)

  • * Exotic annual grass

  • * Short-lived slender tufts, often very small.

  • * Leaves dull green or brown-green.

  • * Head one-sided, green or purplish.

  • * Longish awns.



    References:
  • Wilson, H.E. 1996: Wild plants of Mount Cook National Park, Manuka Press, Christchurch

    [triarv]

    Trifolium arvense - Haresfoot Trefoil
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    References:
  • Allan, H.H.1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Government Printer, Wellington.