Poa schizantha

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; retrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–8 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; convolute; 15–20 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; nodding; 20–40 cm long; 0.7–1.7 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–7.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 7–8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; acute. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; trigonous; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets similar to female but less developed; 8–11 flowered. Male spikelet glumes 2; 4–4.5 mm long. Male spikelet lemma 5–7 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Parodi 1997.

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