Poa masenderana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms decumbent; 25–30(–45) cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 2–3(–5) mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 8–12 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 7–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1–2 -nate; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous, or scabrous; ciliolate; adorned in the middle. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk.

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