Poa ankaratrensis

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; weak; 60 cm long; with 0.25–0.33 of their length below uppermost node. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades 7–10 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 3 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 8 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.1–4.2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; lanceolate in profile; 3–3.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2.5–2.8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Poeae. Camus 1994.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.