Poa sylvestris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms 30–60(–90) cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–7 -nate; 3.5–6 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; oblong in profile; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Texas.

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