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ANEW SPECIESOFPOA L., FAMILYPOACEAEFROMGARHWALHIMALAYA, INDIA1 D.C. NautiyalandR.D. Gaur2 (With one text-figure) Key words: Poagarhwalensis sp. nov. Poa gammieana, Garhwal, Himalaya Plant explorations in the Garhwal Himalaya yielded a new species Poa garhwalensis NautiyaletGaur.sp.nov.ThiswascollectedattheIndo-TibetanborderofChamolidistrict. It comescloseto Poagammieana Hook. f. Duringtherecentplantexplorations inthe Typus: Northwest Himalaya, Leptal remote localities of Garhwal Himalaya, we (4000m), August 4, 1996. Coll. D.C. Nautiyal, collectedsomeinterestingspecimensofthegenus Holotypus GUH: 13501A; Isotypus 13501B. Poa from an alpine zone, Leptal, at the ThisspeciesisalliedtoP.gammieanaHook, Indo-Tibetan border of Chamoli dist. Critical f.,andacomparisonofboththespeciesisgivenin analysisandcomparisonofthesespecimenswith Table 1 with adescriptionofthenew taxon. the literature as well as material from the Perennial tufted grass; culms erect, HerbariaofBotanicalSurveyofIndia(BSD),and 45-60x0-3 cm, partly terete, smooth; nodes 2. Forest Research Institute (DD), Dehra Dun, Leaf blade linear, acute, 4-10x0.2-0.3 cm, distinctly warranted a new species, which has scabrid on both surfaces as well as margins; been describedhereunder. sheaths keeled, 10-20 cm long; ligules PoagarhwalensisNautiyal et Gaur sp. nov. ovate-obtuse, 1.5-3 mm long. Panicles lax, Haec species Poa gammieana Hook. f. 4-10x3-4 cm; branches spreading, axis affmis, a qua differt habitu minus foliaceo, cum cylindrical,scabrid, lowerbranches3-5,scabrid; mm mm intemodis 1 vel 2, ligulis brevioribus, 1.5-3 pedicels scabrid; spikelets elliptic, 5-11 longis, panicula laxa, ramis inferioribus 3-5, long, 3-8 flowered, pale-green or purplish. scabridis, spiculis ellipticis, 5-11 mmlongis, cum Lower glumes oblong, acute, 3-3.2 mm long, mm flosculis 3-7(8), rhachilla breviore, 0.5-0.8 3-nerved, margins hyaline, surface glabrous, mm longa, lemma acuto,4-4.5 longo,paleaecari- keel scabrid on upper part; upper glumes mm mm nis scabridis, anthera longiore, 2-2.5 longa. narrowly oblong, 3.2-3.8 long, 3-nerved, Table 1 COMPARISONOFTHEKEYFEATURESOFPOAGAMMIEANAANDP. GARHWALENSIS PoagammieanaHook.f. P.garhwalensissp.nov. 1. Culmsleafythroughoutwithm7m-8intemodes. 1. Culmswith2-3leavesand 1m-2mintemodes. 2. Ligulesoblong-acute,3.5-4 long. 2. Ligulesovate-obtuse,1.5-3 long. 3. Paniclesnarrowlyspreading;lowerbranches2,smooth. 3. Panicleslooselyspreading;lowerbranches3-5,scabrid. 4. Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, 5.5-9.2 mm long, 3-4 4. Spikeletselliptic,5-11mmlong,3-8flowered. flowered. 5. Marginsofglumeshyaline;paleakeelsalmostscabrid. 5. Marginsofglumeshardlyhyaline;paleakeelssemipilose. 6. Anthers2-2.5mmlong. mm 6. Anthers 1.1-2 long. margins hyaline, surface glabrous, keel scabrid mm 'AcceptedAugust1997 above. Rhachilla 0.5-0.8 long, scabrid. :P.B. 17,Dept,ofBotany,H.N.B.GarhwalUniversity, Calluswithciliatehairs. Lowest lemmaoblong, Srinagar(Garhwal)246 174,India. acute, 4-4.5 mmlong, 5-nerved, surface scabrid JOURNAL BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 96(2), AUG. 1999 285 NEWDESCRIPTIONS Fig. 1: A-G. PoagarhwalensisNautiyal et Gaursp. nov. A. Plant; B. Spikelet; C. Lowerglume; D. Upper glume; E. Lowest lemma; F. Palea; G. Anthers, ovary, styles, stigmas and lodicules. 286 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 96(2) AUG. 1999 NEWDESCRIPTIONS except hyaline tip, margins hyaline, keel ciliate AcKNOWLEDGEMENTS on lower two-thirds, scabrid above, marginal nerves ciliate on lower half. Paleas We thank the Botanical Survey of India, elliptic-oblong, 3.2-4 mm long, keels almost NorthernCircle,DehraDunandForestResearch mm scabrid. Stamens 3; anthers 2-2.5 long. Institute, DehraDun forHerbariumandLibrary Ovarywithdistinctstylesandstigmas. Lodicules facilities;Dr.N.C.MajumdarforLatindiagnosis mm 2, 0.5-0.8 long. (Figs. 1A-G). ofthe taxon and the Council of Scientific and FI. & Fr.: Aug.-Oct. Industrial Research (CSIR), for financial Habitat: In marshy alpine meadows. assistance. JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 96(2), AUG. 1999 287