Poa confinis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–25 cm long. Culm-internodes terete. Leaf-sheaths with 0.33–0.5 of their length closed. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–2 mm long; entire; acute. Leaf-blades involute; 1–2 mm wide; firm.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; 1.5–3.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 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. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous; rough between veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long; membranous; irregularly toothed. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Pl Pac NW 1996.

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