Poa mulleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–40 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–6 cm long; 1.2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; dense; 5–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches reflexed; 1–2 -nate; 2–3 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Swallen 2002.

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