Poa nepalensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–50 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 3.5–15 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 7.5–14 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2.3 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 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; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels woolly; adorned in the middle. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.6–0.75 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak.

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