Poa planifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths papery. Culms erect; 12–18 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades 2–3.5 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide; coriaceous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 3–4 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 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; 4–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Kuntze 1997.

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