Poa moabitica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths withering. Culms erect; 60–110 cm long; 3–6 mm diam. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–35 cm long; 5–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 20–35 cm long; 2–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 4–5 -nate; 0.5–10 cm long. Panicle axis with lower internodes 10 cm long; smooth. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.25–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.75–2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 2.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins; glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Bor 1995.

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