Poa aurigae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 7–17 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.75–4 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; acute. Leaf-blades erect; flat, or conduplicate; 3–7 cm long; 0.6–1.4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 1.8–3.5 cm long; 0.6–1.4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 2–5 -nate; 0.8–1.5 cm long; bearing 3–7 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.25–1.75 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 2.15–2.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Rhachilla extension 0.75–1.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.75 mm long; eventually exserted, or retained within floret.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Veldkamp 1995.

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