Poa rodwayi
Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 235, t. XI, 8–11
(1970).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Tasmania: Domain (Hobart):
19 Nov 1929, L.
Rodway (HT: HO H1175).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of
Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South
Australia (157), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A.
Poaceae 2 (319).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (157, fig. 110), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.),
Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (323, Fig. 43).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms stature slender to delicate, 25–75 cm tall, 1–2 -noded.
Mid-culm internodes pubescent. Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly
basal.
Leaf-sheaths smooth, hairy. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate
membrane,
0.4–2.1 mm long, abaxially scaberulous and abaxially hairy, truncate or
obtuse.
Leaf-blades filiform, conduplicate or involute, 4.5–19.5(–30) cm long,
0.3–0.75
mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, (5–)12–15 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2
fertile
florets (2–5), comprising 2–5 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets
at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 3.4–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume oblong, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, (1–)3
-nerved. Upper
glume oblong, 2.6–3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved.
Upper
glume surface smooth or asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–3.5 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania.
South Australia:
South-eastern. Victoria: Gippsland Plain, Midlands,
Otway Plain,
Volcanic Plain. Tasmania: North East, Central
Highlands, Midlands, Ben
Lomond, East Coast, South West.
Notes.
Close to Poa morrisii and P. sieberiana var. hirtella.
Endemic. Commonly in
dry, lowland, grasslands and under light eucalypt cover. Flowers Jan.
Fruits
July.
