Poa fawcettiae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths herbaceous; purple. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–60 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth, or scaberulous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; conduplicate, or involute; 4–35 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 3–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–5 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous, or woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy on back. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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