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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 astonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths coriaceous. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–45 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute; 10–30 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; linear; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–1 mm long; smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 2–5.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3(–5) -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 3.5–7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous; ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough between veins. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; mucronate. Palea 3–6 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5–1 mm long; membranous; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Vegetative proliferation occurs.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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