Poa pringlei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 10–20 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Culm-sheaths chartaceous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades involute; 2–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; puberulous (above).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 1–5 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 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 ovate; 4–5(–7) mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5(–7) mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 5–6(–8) mm long; membranous; pallid; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. 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 North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Man Gr US 2000.

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