Poa chamaeclinos

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 1.5–4 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades involute; 1–2 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; ovate; 1–1.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; purple; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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