Poa wendtii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.2–0.4 of their length closed; 14–16 cm long; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.2–1.8 mm long; 2.7–3 mm long on basal shoots; scaberulous on abaxial surface; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10–22 cm long; 3.5 mm wide; glaucous; pruinose. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 15 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 50–70 fertile spikelets. Peduncle 2.5–4 cm long; smooth.

Panicle open; pyramidal; equilateral, or nodding; 13–14 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; 2–3 -nate; 5–7 cm long; bearing 8–11 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5 length of fertile spikelet; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (2–)3(–4) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–1 mm long; obscured by lemmas; smooth. Floret callus woolly. Floret callus hairs 1–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–6.2 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–3.7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface villous; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma margins villous; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Palea surface glabrous, or puberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.6–2.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; sulcate on hilar side; 1.7–2 mm long; light brown. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Soreng & Peterson 2012.

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