Poa beringiana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–16 cm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or pyramidal; 5–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; 2–4 -nate; bearing 2–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east.

NOTES Poeae. Probat 1995.

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