Poa curtifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.2–0.33 of their length closed; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; erose; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1–2.5 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute; hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 4–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 5–6 mm long; membranous; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness to scabrous. Lemma margins eciliate, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned in the middle. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.2–3.5 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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