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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa mollis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths herbaceous; purple. Culms 25–80 cm long; 1–3 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–0.75 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 12–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pubescent. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; elliptic; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–6 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

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; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 2.75–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. 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.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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