Poa speluncarum

HABIT Annual. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–25 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; acuminate. Leaf-blades 0.5–1.5 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; loose; 3–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; (2–)3–5 -nate; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5 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; 2 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 2.3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk.

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