Chionochloa flavicans

Chionochloa flavicans is a species of plant in the grass family.

Chionochloa flavicans
Snow tussock showing plumes
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Chionochloa
Species:
C. flavicans
Binomial name
Chionochloa flavicans

The leaves, which are up to 12 mm wide, are larger than most tussocks similar to it. The plumes which appear in summer can make it look similar to the toetoe species and so sometimes it is called miniature toetoe although botanically this reference is quite incorrect. The plumes begin a green colour and as they age turn light brown.

The name is similar to C. flavescens although they visually look quite different. C. flavicans is one of the easier Chionochloa species to identify because of its distinctive plumes.

A different form, C. flavicans forma temata, can be found growing on Te Mata Peak near Havelock North.

It is quite widely planted by councils and for highway plantings due to its low maintenance.[1]

Distribution

Is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand and is found in the Coromandel Peninsula and also can be found from the East Cape to Hawke's Bay.[2]

  • Plumes in March

References
  1. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/guidelines-highway-landscaping/docs/highway-landscaping-appendix-5.pdf
  2. Lawrie Metcalf (1998). The Cultivation of New Zealand Native Grasses. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House. p. 48.


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