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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 ensiformis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths herbaceous; purple. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–110 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths loose; keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–30 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; stiff; dark green. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–5 -nate; 4–10 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–10 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 oblong; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.66–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 3–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base; hairy on back. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long; yellow, or purple.

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

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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