Poa asirensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 15–25 cm long. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 1.5–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense, or loose; 7–9 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.3–2.6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.7–2.9 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; elliptic in profile; 2.8–3.1 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Poeae. TAC 1997.

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