Poa talamancae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–60 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 3 -noded. Culm-nodes purple. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; dark green. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 6–10 cm long.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 8–11 cm long; 3–6 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 2–3 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5.6 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; 1.8–2.4 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong, or obovate; 2.3–3.4 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.1–4.1 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous; ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy at base. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.1–1.4 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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