Poa gayana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–3 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 5–9 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous; hispidulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6–7 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; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. WDC 1997.

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