Poa fawcettiae Vickery. Contr.
New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 232 (1970).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: New South Wales: Victoria: Bogong High
Plains: ca. 5500 ft: in subalpine grassland: 14 Jan 1959, J. Vickery
(HT: NSW 51303).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [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 (328).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (350).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 20–60 cm tall, 1–2 -noded. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral
branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface.
Ligule an eciliate membrane or a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane,
0.4–1.5 mm long, abaxially hairy, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades erect or
ascending, conduplicate or involute, 1–35 cm long, 0.9–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface smooth, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle pyramidal, 3–18 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–5), comprising 3–5 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, ovate, laterally compressed, 3.8–5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume ovate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume ovate, 2.1–2.6 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.7–3.5 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
New South Wales:
Southern Tablelands. Victoria: Snowfields. Tasmania: North East,
Central Highlands.
Notes. Endemic.
S from Kosciusko area and in the NE and Central Highlands of Tasmania. At
elevations over 1100 m in woodlands and subalpine meadows. Flowers Dec.-Feb.
