Poa antipoda

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–4.5 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; entire; acute. Leaf-blades 7.5–25 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth, or with occasional prickles.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long; smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–3 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; elliptic in profile; 2.5–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3(–5) -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous; ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2–4 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface glabrous. Rhachilla extension 1 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.5 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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