Poa umbricola

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths herbaceous; pallid. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms rambling; 20–40 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths tight; longer than adjacent culm internode; keeled; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; elliptic. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; oblong in profile; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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