2n = 28

Low-growing perennial, forming small extravaginal tufts or cushions to c. 15 cm tall, culms usually somewhat overtopping the rather stiff, green or purplish leaves; laminae persistent. Sheaths creamy-brown or purple, hyaline, nerves distinct, smooth; ligule c. 0.5-(1)mm long, entire, smooth across top, narrowed to a subobtuse point, abaxially smooth; lamina 1-5 cm × (0.5)—1 — 1.5 mm, folded, smooth except for a few teeth abaxially on midrib near incurved tip, and on margins near ligule and tip. Culms 1 — 10—(15) cm tall, smooth. Panicle 1-4.5 cm long, lax; rachis and slender spreading branchlets and pedicels filiform, smooth, rarely sparsely scabrous below the very few spikelets. Spikelets 3-4 mm long, 3-4-flowered, light green, usually purplish. Glumes subequal, smooth except on midrib in upper ½, lower glume 1.5-2.5 mm long, 1-nerved, ovate-lanceolate, acute, upper 1.8-3.2 mm long, 3-nerved, ovate, subobtuse. Lemma 2-3.5 mm long, 5-7-nerved, ovate, obtuse, glabrous and smooth, but sparsely scabrous on midnerve in upper third. Palea 1.5-2.5 mm long, smooth between short-scabrous keels. Lodicules 0.3-0.6 mm long. Callus glabrous. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm long, smooth and glabrous. Anthers (0.2)-0.3-(0.5) mm long. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.5 mm. Endemic

Gramen perenne, demissum, pulvinos saepe formans, foliis rigidioribus viridibus vel purpurascentibus; Poae kirkii affine differt statura multo minore, lemmatibus paene omnino laevibus, antherisque brevissimis.

Low-growing perennial, forming small tufts or cushions to c. 15 cm, with culms usually somewhat overtopping the rather stiff, green or purplish leaves; branching extravaginal; leaf-blades persistent. Leaf-sheath creamy brown or purple, glabrous, hyaline, ribs distinct. Ligule c. 0.5-(1) mm, entire, narrowed to a subobtuse point, glabrous throughout. Leaf-blade 1-5 cm × (0.5)-1-1.5 mm, folded, smooth but with a few prickle-teeth abaxially on midrib near incurved tip, and on margins near ligule and tip. Culm 1-10-(15) cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 1-4.5 cm, lax; rachis and slender spreading branches and pedicels filiform, smooth, rarely sparsely scabrid below the very few spikelets. Spikelets 3-4 mm, 3-4-flowered, light green, usually purplish. Glumes subequal, smooth, but midnerve prickle-toothed in upper ½; lower 1.5-2.5 mm, 1-nerved, ovate-lanceolate, acute, upper 1.8-3.2 mm, 3-nerved, ovate, subobtuse. Lemma 2-3.5 mm, 5-7-nerved, ovate, obtuse, smooth, but upper ⅓ of midnerve sparsely scabrid. Palea 1.5-2.5 mm, keels short-scabrid, interkeel glabrous. Callus glabrous. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm, glabrous. Lodicules 0.3-0.6 mm. Anthers (0.2)-0.3-(0.5) mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.5 mm.