GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Poa nivicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 18–40 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.75–9.25 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades erect; conduplicate, or involute; 3–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 9 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–12 cm long; 1.5–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate; 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–0.9 mm long; smooth. Floret callus woolly. Floret callus hairs 1–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3.2–3.8 mm long; 0.6–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.25–6.75 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; elliptic in profile; 3.5–6.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy above. Lemma lateral veins meeting above. Lemma surface granulose; glabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; acute; mucronate. Palea 4–4.5 mm long. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.1–1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3–5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Alp Fl N Guin 1994.

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