Poa lhasaensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes terete; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear; 5–18 cm long; 4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear; dense; nodding; 15–18 cm long; 0.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 5 -nate. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 2.5 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume linear; 3.25–3.75 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; elliptic in profile; 4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Palea 2-keeled. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.75 mm long. Stigmas plumose.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Bor 2000.

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