Poa kelloggii

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 30–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 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 woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 4–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute, or cuspidate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Man US Gr 1994.

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