Poa langtangensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; slender; 9–25 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.2 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 3–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate; 1–3 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6–2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; elliptic in profile; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Poeae. Melderis 2002.

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