Poa aequatoriensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–80 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 8–18 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–22 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.6–3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3.6–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.