Poa longiramea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths purple. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; slender; 20–42 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.2–2.5 mm long; entire, or erose; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 12–18 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–16 inner ridges. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 6–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–2 -nate; 6–9 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.7–1.2 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 3.2–3.5 mm long; membranous; mid-green and purple; tipped with last colour; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2.8–3.2 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.9 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Alp Fl N Guin 1994.

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