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 homomalla

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes short, or elongated; scaly. Butt sheaths papery. Culms erect; 30–75 cm long; 5–9 -noded. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; antrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths tight; longer than adjacent culm internode; keeled; striately veined; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–7 mm long; pilose on abaxial surface; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation indistinct. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute; hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 5–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate; 2.5–9 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth, or scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 2.2–4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on back, or on veins. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; ciliate; adorned in the middle. Palea surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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