Poa pumilio

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Culms 3 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3 cm long; 0.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; shorter than basal leaves.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 1–1.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2.8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Poeae. Phillips 1994.

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