GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Poa dipsacea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 15–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; entire; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–20 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide; firm; mid-green and glaucous; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; 4–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 3.5–5.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5(–7) -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base; hairy on back. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 3–4.5 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate; adorned in the middle. Palea surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5–0.7 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.6–2.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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