Poa clavigera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 5–10 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.75 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; involute; 1–5 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–2.9 cm long; 0.2 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 1–1.7 cm long; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.1–1.6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–1.9 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; ovate in profile; 2.25–2.75 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute, or apiculate. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.75 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 1.75 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Alp Fl N Guin 1994.

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