Poa schimperiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 17–100 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–4 mm long. Leaf-blades ascending; flat, or conduplicate; 5–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; effuse; equilateral, or nodding; 7–35 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous, or woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.7–4 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–4.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; lanceolate in profile; 2.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.3–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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