Poa suksdorfii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 10–15 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5 of their length closed. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; entire, or lacerate; acute. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–5 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–5 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth to scabrous; glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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