Poa senex

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 5–12 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; entire; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1–3.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 1–3 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous; with scattered hairs. Panicle branches with scattered hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous; ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy at base; hairy on veins. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1.5–1.8 mm long. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface glabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.1 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.3–0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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