Poa robusta

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; robust; 30–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths inflated; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.8–1.5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 4.5–15 cm long; 3–5(–8) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state). Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6.5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 6–9 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 3–4 mm long. Staminodes present; 2–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous; 3 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Vegetative proliferation absent, or occurs.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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