Poa stapfiana

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms decumbent; 20–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–14 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; firm, or flaccid. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 15–25 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.8–3.8 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1(–3) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3–4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; oblong in profile; 3–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy between veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; ciliate; adorned below (ciliate). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak.

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