GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa clelandii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes absent, or short. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 40–75 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths loose; keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.25–1.75 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–3 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous, or woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; oblong in profile; 1.75–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.3 mm long; yellow, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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