Poa wolfii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–15 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 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 woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. 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 and northeast USA.

NOTES Poeae. Man US Gr 1994.

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