Poa pirinica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 5–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–0.6 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; 0.2–0.4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or elliptic; 3–5.5 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 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 lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliate; adorned all along. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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