Poa superata

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 18–25 cm long; 3 -noded; with 0.33 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 10 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 3–4 -nate. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels puberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Hackel 1997.

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