Agrostopoa woodii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–20 cm long; 2–3 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25 of their length closed; 4 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–2.5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; 1.5–4.5 cm long; 0.5–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute; hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 8–11 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; oblong; 2–3 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–3 -nate; 0.4–0.6(–1) cm long; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis 3–5 noded. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–10 mm long; with hairs extending 4.5–5.6 mm beyond apex; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.4–5.6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined, or 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous (above). Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.7–5.6 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined, or 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous (above). Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.7–4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous (above). Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; with lobes 0.1 mm long; acute; mucronate. Principal lemma awn apical, or from a sinus; 0.2–0.6 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels 0.25 mm apart; scaberulous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.7 mm long. Anthers 2 (rarely), or 3; 1.7–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2 mm long; light brown. Disseminule comprising a floret.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Soreng et al 2009.

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