Poa trachyphylla

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 30 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; antrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–11 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 6–13 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Pilger 2001.

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