Poa maniototo

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pallid, or yellow; glossy. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 5–10 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blades curved; convolute; 0.25–1.5 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide; grey-green. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 0.5–1.5 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; elliptic in profile; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along; hairy on back, or on veins. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate; adorned in the middle. Palea surface pilose. Rhachilla extension 0.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.2–0.4 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 0.5–1 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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