Poa sikkimensis

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Butt sheaths herbaceous; withering, or persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–45 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–6 mm long; entire. Leaf-blades tapering towards sheath; flat, or conduplicate; 3–10 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or pyramidal; 6–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; 2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 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 lanceolate, or elliptic; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; (1–)3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or obovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex erose; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 2.7–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliate; adorned below (ciliate). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak.

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