Poa pulviniformis

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 2–6 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.25–0.75 mm long; 0.25–0.75 mm long on basal shoots; glabrous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; involute; 4–14 cm long; 0.3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 0.5–1.3 cm long; 0.2–0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1–2 -nate; 0.35–0.4 cm long; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.75–2.15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.9–1.6 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.95–1.75 mm long; 0.66–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 1.4–1.9 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth; glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels smooth; adorned above. Rhachilla extension 0.3–0.6 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.75–0.85 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Veldkamp 1995.

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