Poa pseudoschimperiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths, or fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 20–45 cm long. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–4 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or elliptic; dense, or loose; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 3.2–5.5 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 elliptic, or oblong; 2–2.8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; elliptic in profile; 2.3–5 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface asperulous; puberulous; hairy on back, or on veins. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.3–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Poeae. TAC 1997.

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