Poa celsa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; entire, or erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 6–20 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 3.5–5.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–5.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough generally, or on veins. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 3.5–4.5 mm long. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back. Rhachilla extension 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5–0.6 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1–2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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