Poa parviceps

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long; 2 -noded; with 0.2 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths loose; longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; acuminate. Leaf-blades erect; 3–6 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; interrupted; 4–8 cm long; 0.6–1.2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate; 1–3 cm long. Panicle axis smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; 1.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; light green and purple; keeled; (3–)5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Hackel 1997.

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