Poa marcida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 40–80 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.9 of their length closed; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades 1–2.5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or drooping; distant; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–2 mm long; smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada and northwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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