Poa holciformis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–50 cm long; 2–3 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–8 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 2.5–3.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; interrupted; 5–15 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 5–7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; lanceolate; trigonous; 2.8–3 mm long; dark brown. 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.