Poa vvedenskyi

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Culms 7–15 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 1.5–3 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches smooth; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–2.75 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3.5 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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