Poa foliosa

Poa foliosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Poa
Species:	P. foliosa
Binomial name
	Poa foliosa ; Hook. f.
Synonyms
	Festuca foliosa Hook.f.;

Poa foliosa is a species of tussock grass commonly known as Muttonbird Poa. It is native to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand and Australia.

Description

Poa foliosa is a perennial, dioecious grass growing as densly clumped tussocks up to 2 m in height. The tussocks arise from short, woody stolons, with the shoots covered at the base by the fibrous remnants of sheaths. The leaf-blades are 150–400 mm long and 3–6 mm wide. The plant flowers from October to December, and fruits from November to April.^[1]^[2]

Distribution and habitat

In New Zealand the grass is found on the north-eastern Titi, or Muttonbird, Islands, as well as on the Solander Antipodes, Auckland and Campbell Islands. It is also found on Australia’s Macquarie Island. The habitat is coastal and subcoastal, often near seabird colonies.^[1]

Macquarie Island

On Macquarie Island’s coastal terraces and slopes it grows in mixed stands with Stilbocarpa polaris where the drainage is good, and along the borders of streams. It forms a tall tussock grassland along the beaches above the high-water mark, as well as patchily on the island’s plateau in sheltered and relatively exposed sites. The upland grasslands are an important habitat for burrow-nesting petrels, rabbits and mice. Where rabbit grazing is controlled, Poa foliosa tall tussock grassland becomes more widespread.^[3]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b New Zealand Plant Conservation Network.
^ Clayton et al. (2008).
^ Macquarie Island Flora.

Sources

Clayton, W.D.; Harman, K.T.; & Williamson, H. (Version 2008-01-28). "Poa foliosa". GrassBase. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2011-01-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
"Macquarie Island flora". Australian Antarctic Division. Last modified 2010-08-12. Retrieved 2011-01-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
"Poa foliosa". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2011-01-03.

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[nzpcn-1] New Zealand Plant Conservation Network.

[2] Clayton et al. (2008).

[3] Macquarie Island Flora.

[1]