Poa spicigera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 10–16 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–3.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–5 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 3.5–5.5 cm long; 0.7–0.8 cm wide. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–4.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.7–2.8 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.8–3.1 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.2–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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