Poa glaberrima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths withering. Culms erect; 12–23 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2–4 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–8 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–4.6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 4.3–5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface scabrous; rough between veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.6–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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