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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Poa pugionifolia
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 25–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–2.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; conduplicate; 2.5–5 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute; pungent.
INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 5–15 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; linear; 3–6 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 7–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 5.5–6.5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins eciliate, or pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.8–4 mm long. Staminodes present; 1.5 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.
MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
