Poa parva

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; 2.5–4 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.75 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; acute. Leaf-blades erect; straight, or curved; filiform; involute; 1.4–1.8 cm long; 0.4–0.75 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–5 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1–1.5 cm long; 0.1–0.2 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1 -nate; 0.45–0.7 cm long; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth.

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; 1.25–1.6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.75–2.1 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.4–2.65 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma. Palea keels smooth.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Veldkamp 1997.

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