Poa golestanensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms 55–100 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous (above). Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; entire, or erose; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 25–50 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; elliptic; 7–16 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.8–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5–4.7 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; 2 mm wide; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea elliptic; 3–4 mm long. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–2.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Scholz & Akhani 2005.

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