Poaceae
Poa

Poa pentapolitana H.Scholz

First published in Willdenowia 6: 292 (1971)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Libya. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 8-15 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-1.5 mm long; acuminate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3-5 cm long; 1.5-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; pyramidal; dense; 2-3 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2-3 -nate; 0.5-1.5 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.6-1.8 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; purple; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.7-2 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; purple; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6-1.8 mm long; membranous; purple; streaked with last colour and tipped with last colour; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Africa: north.
Reference
Poeae. Scholz 1994.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0