Poa erinacea

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Stolons present. Culms 7–12 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; aciculate; 1.5–2.5 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 1.5–3.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose. Panicle axis 3–6 noded; glabrous, or puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–6 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; lightly keeled; 0–1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Staminodes present; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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