Poa quadrata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; 48–63 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.75–3.25 mm long; 1–2 mm long on basal shoots; scaberulous on abaxial surface; acute. Leaf-blades erect; involute; 5.2–14 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3.5–7 cm long; 4–5.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 2 -nate; 2.4–3.2 cm long; bearing 4–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5.25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.6–0.8 mm long; scaberulous. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.25–2.5 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough generally. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 2.8–2.9 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough generally. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.8–4.25 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough generally. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.25–0.6 mm long overall. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface scaberulous. Rhachilla extension 1.25–2.25 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

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.