Poa gilgiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 25–35 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3.5 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 8–25 cm long; 3–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–13 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.2–1.7 mm long. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6.2–6.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 6.2–6.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough on veins; pubescent; hairy on back. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5–2.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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