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 labillardieri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths herbaceous; pallid. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–120 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 40–80 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; dark green. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3 -nate; 4–12 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–8 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; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 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; elliptic in profile; 2.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above; glabrous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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