Poa lanigera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Culms 20–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 25–55 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; dense; 5–15 cm long; 2.5–3.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; elliptic in profile; 4–5.5 mm long; 1 mm wide; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

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

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Entre Rios 1995.

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