Poa stellaris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 17–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.65 mm long; 0.3–0.65 mm long on basal shoots; glabrous on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; involute; 4–8 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5.5–8 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate; 3–4 cm long; bearing 7–10 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (2–)3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.75 mm long; scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.1–2.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–2.75 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.25–3.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned all along. Rhachilla extension 2.25–2.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.45–0.5 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.