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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa flaccidula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–5 mm long; lacerate; acute. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute; callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 8–16 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 2–3 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous; tip widened.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with scarious margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 3.5–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma surface scabrous; rough between veins; pubescent; hairy below; hairy on back. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex erose; emarginate, or obtuse. Palea 0.2–0.25 length of lemma. Palea keels woolly; adorned in the middle. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.6–1.8 mm long; yellow. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2.25 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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