Poa orthoclada

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth, or scaberulous; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25 of their length closed; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; involute; 6–15(–40) cm long; 1.2 mm wide; glaucous; without exudate, or pruinose. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–15 cm long; 3–8 cm wide. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; dull, or shiny. Lower glume oblong; 1.8–2.4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.8–2.4 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 1.6–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous; eciliate, or ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below; hairy on veins. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.4–1.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Walsh 2007.

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