Poa androgyna

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–90 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blade base simple, or cordate. Leaf-blades erect; 15–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–15 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches reflexed; 1–2 -nate; sparsely divided. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–4 mm long; 0.66–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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