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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa cumingii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths papery; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect; 8–22 cm long. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades erect, or spreading; involute; 2–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide (at base); stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 3.5–4.5 cm long; 1–2.5 cm wide. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–11 mm long; 2–7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly. Floret callus hairs 1–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein spinulose. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein spinulose. Upper glume margins pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; lanceolate in profile; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous; pubescent. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 5.5 mm long; membranous; 2-keeled. Palea keels woolly; adorned in the middle. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on margins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous; 3.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. SAR 2003.

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