Poa badensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–35 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–6 mm long; 1–2 mm long on basal shoots; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2.5–6 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 4–7 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; ovate in profile; 3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on back. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, and southeastern. Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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