Poa phillipsiana Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 220 (1970).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: New South Wales: Ridge above Happy Jacks
township, besdie creek, ca. 11 mi s of Kiandra: 20 Jan 1958, J. Vickery
(HT: NSW 44381).
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 (353), [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 (353).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 35–100 cm tall, 1–2 -noded. Mid-culm internodes pubescent.
Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal.
Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous, glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed
membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.2–0.6 mm long, abaxially scaberulous,
truncate. Leaf-blades erect, aciculate, involute, 4–25 cm long, 0.3–0.75 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, 5–20 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–6), comprising 3–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 4–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume oblong, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Upper
glume oblong, 1.8–3.2 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume surface smooth or asperulous, indumented.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–3.5 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria.
New South Wales:
Southern Tablelands. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands,
Snowfields.
Notes.
Very similar to Poa sieberana var. sieberana and often associated
with this species, distinguished by the purple sheaths, bluish foliage and more
rigid leaf blades ?, and shortly keeled tip.
Endemic. On drier
alpina and subalpine grasslands and eucalypt woodlands, mostly at c. 1300–1700
m. Flowers Jan.-Mar. Fruits Jan.-Mar.
