Poa pilgeri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 7–15 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-internodes 4–6.8 cm long; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; 2–3.5 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or scaberulous on abaxial surface; erose. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 2–3 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 3–4.5 cm long; 3–4.2 cm wide; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate; 1–2 cm long; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.8–4.5 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–1 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2.2 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets alike but female above. Fertile lemma oblong; 1.8–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2.5–3 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned below.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Negritto & Anton 2007.

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