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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa affinis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Stolons absent, or present. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 40–120 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths loose; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode, or longer than adjacent culm internode; keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–6 -nate; 5–12 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; 4–8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 2.7–3.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliate; adorned in the middle (ciliate). Palea surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.75–2.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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