Poa pauciflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–35 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–4.5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate, or involute; 7–17 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.2–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.8–3.4 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3–3.4 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.3–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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