Poa imperialis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 40–80 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths loose; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–6 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 15–20 cm long; 5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–30 cm long; 15–20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

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

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface pilose; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Bor 1992.

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