Poa cucullata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long; 0 -noded. Culm-internodes terete. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; 1 mm long on basal shoots; acute. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3–10 cm long; 5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 8 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 2–4 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 4 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; (3–)5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface asperulous; pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.75 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate; adorned in the middle.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Hackel 1995.

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