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Descriptions

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

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

Poa colensoi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths yellow, or grey. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 5–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–5.5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or scaberulous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; involute; 5–15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle open; ovate; 1–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; (3.5–)5–7(–10) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–1 mm long; smooth. Floret callus glabrous, or pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; elliptic in profile; 3–5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough generally, or on veins, or between veins; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2–4 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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