Poa helmsii
Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 205–206 (1970).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: New South Wales: Mt. Kosciusko: Pretty
Point: 5000 ft: Feb 1893, R. Helms (HT: NSW 44113).
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 (331).
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 50–150 cm tall, 3–6 mm diam. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral
branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous,
glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.5–2 mm
long, abaxially hairy, truncate. Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate,
(1.5–)19.5–28(–50) cm long, (3–)6.8–7.2(–8) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 15–35 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–8), comprising 3–8 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 5–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume oblong, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume oblong, 2.6–3.4 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.
Florets. Fertile
lemma (2.75–)3.4–4 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria.
New South Wales:
South Coast, North-Western Slopes. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern
Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Snowfields.
Notes.
Endemic. In the Australian Alps S from the Brindabella Ra. and in Vic. on the
adjacent ranges. A robust tussock in wet sites along mountain streams or
soakage areas mostly above 1000 m. Flowers Nov.-Mar.
