Poa alsodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 6–15 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–5 -nate; 4–8 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 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; 2.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma surface scaberulous; pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Indiana 1994.

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