Poa perligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 3.5–7 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 1–3 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; ovate; 2–2.5 cm long; 0.5–0.7 cm wide. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–4.5 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 lanceolate; 2.5–2.8 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2.7–3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3.7–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough above; glabrous. Lemma apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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