Poa anceps

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms 30–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 2.5–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches capillary; smooth, or with occasional prickles, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. WDC 1993.

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