Poa amplexicaulis

C.M.Weiller & Stajsic
Muelleria 22: 11 (2005)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present endemic
Origin Native
Degree of establishment Native

Tufted glabrous perennial, usually with short ascending stolons, to 40 cm high; culms slender, often slgihtly compressed. Leaves smooth; sheaths connate for most of their length when young, distinctly reddish-pigmented; blade channelled, folded or inrolled-angular, to 12 cm long and 1.3 mm wide (when flattened out), thin-textured, prominently nerved; ligule obtuse or truncate, membranous, 0.8–2.6 mm long. Inflorescence narowly ovoid to nearly linear, 3.5–10 cm long. Spikelets 2–7-flowered, 2.8–6.2 mm long; lower glume 1.5–2.1 mm long, 1- or 3-nerved, upper glume 1.7–2.8 mm long, 3-nerved; lemma 5-nerved, 2.3–3 mm long, short-puberulous on the midnerve and marginal nerves in lower half, glabrous between nerves; web absent. Flowers Oct.–Dec.

CVU. Occurs in dry to damp open-forests, usually on shallow rocky soils in the Brisbane Ranges, Werribee Gorge and Lerderderg Gorge areas.

Previously included in Poa tenera, but distinguished by the connate, pigmented sheaths and the absence of hairs between the nerves on the lemma.

Created by: Neville Walsh, 29 Mar. 2016
Updated by: Val Stajsic, 14 Nov. 2019
Poa amplexicaulis (hero image) Spinning
Poa amplexicaulis (distribution map) Spinning