Poa calchaquiensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 6–12 cm long; 1 -noded; with 0.25 of their length below uppermost node. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–2.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; convolute; 2–10 cm long; 0.5–0.8 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; interrupted; 1–3 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Hackel 1997.

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