Poa seleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 45–95 cm long. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; nodding; 7–19 cm long; 5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–5 -nate.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 3.2–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.1–1.4 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–2.7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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