Poa bradei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–75 cm long; with 0.4 of their length below uppermost node. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3.2 mm long; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades 7.5–17 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 11–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (2–)3(–4) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 6–8.5 mm long; 3–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.2–5.5 mm long; 0.5–0.7 mm wide; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.6–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5–2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Poeae. Lon-Wag 1996.

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