Poa fax Willis & Court. Muelleria
1:45 (1955).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Poa lepida
F. Muell., Fragm. 8: 170 (1873).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Burkitt s.n., Australia: between Darling
and Lachlan Rivers (MEL). LT cited by Clayton, Kew Bull. 40: 728 (1985).
Recent synonyms:
P. lepida, Neuropoa fax
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (654 as Poa
lepida), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(107 as P. lepida), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses
of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of
South Australia (149), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (350), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora
of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (307).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (149, Fig. 101), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(350), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2
(308, Fig. 41).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or decumbent, stature slender to delicate, 2–30(–45) cm tall, 2–3
-noded. Mid-culm internodes pubescent. Lateral branches simple. Leaves cauline.
Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.4–4.3 mm long, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades
flat, 1–15 cm long, 0.9–3.4 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, 3–15 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–13), comprising 3–13 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, ovate, laterally compressed, 4.3–13 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, keeled,
1-keeled, 3–5 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 2–5 mm long, membranous, keeled,
1-keeled, 3–5 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.6–4.5 mm long, keeled, (5–)9–11 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 0.6–2 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria.
Western Australia:
Eyre. South Australia: Eyre Peninsula, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern
Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. New South Wales: North-Western
Slopes, North-Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Victoria: Murray
Mallee, Otway Plain, Wannon, Wimmera.
Notes.
The lemmas prominently nerved.
Endemic. Across
southern Australia. Usually in samphire swamps, margins of salt lakes or
sanddunes. Flowers Aug.-Nov. Fruits Nov.-?.
