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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.
Deschampsia
HABIT Annual (4), or perennial (36). Rhizomes absent (37), or short (4), or elongated (2). Culms erect (30/32), or geniculately ascending (1/32), or decumbent (1/32); robust (2/5), or slender (3/5); 2–42.65–200 cm long; firm (38), or wiry (2). Culm-internodes elliptical in section (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (6/6). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades aciculate (1), or filiform (21), or linear (19); herbaceous (37), or coriaceous (4); stiff (13), or firm (26), or flaccid (1). Leaf-blade apex muticous (38), or pungent (4).
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; not deciduous as a whole, or deciduous as a whole (1); exserted (39), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (3), or enclosed (1).
Panicle open (31), or contracted (11), or spiciform (2), or glomerate (1). Primary panicle branches not whorled (38), or whorled at lower nodes (1), or whorled at most nodes (1).
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (11/11).
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (1), or 2 fertile florets, or 3 fertile florets (7); without rhachilla extension (1), or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear (1), or lanceolate (23), or elliptic (1), or oblong (24), or cuneate (5); laterally compressed; 2.075–5.477–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret (31), or above glumes but not between florets (9). Rhachilla internodes definite; glabrous (8), or pubescent (4), or pilose (27), or villous (1). Floret callus glabrous (2/37), or pubescent (6/37), or pilose (26/37), or bearded (5/37).
GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (5), or reaching apex of florets (12), or exceeding apex of florets (27); thinner than fertile lemma (1), or similar to fertile lemma in texture (39); parallel to lemmas (35), or gaping (5). Lower glume linear (2), or lanceolate (32), or elliptic (4), or oblong (2), or ovate (5); 0.6–0.941–1 length of upper glume; membranous (39), or chartaceous (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (33), or 2 -veined (2), or 3 -veined (9). Lower glume lateral veins absent (33), or obscure (2), or distinct (7). Lower glume surface smooth (38), or asperulous (3); without pits. Lower glume apex entire (39), or erose (2); truncate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (34), or acuminate (5); muticous (39), or mucronate (1). Upper glume linear (1), or lanceolate (8), or elliptic (29), or oblong (1), or ovate (2); 0.66–1.47–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (39), or chartaceous (1); with undifferentiated margins (36), or hyaline margins (3), or scarious margins (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (7/39), or 2 -veined (5/39), or 3 -veined (37/39). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (39), or ciliolate (1). Upper glume surface smooth (38), or asperulous (5). Upper glume apex entire (39), or erose (2); truncate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (34), or acuminate (5); muticous (39), or mucronate (1).
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or elliptic (2), or oblong (36), or ovate (6); hyaline (1), or membranous (36), or cartilaginous (3); of similar consistency above (37), or much thinner above (3); without keel; wingless; 3 -veined (2), or 4 -veined (10), or 5 -veined (30), or 6 -veined (2), or 7 -veined (4). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/1). Lemma surface smooth (33), or asperulous (6), or scaberulous (4); unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex entire (2), or erose (7), or dentate (36); 2 -fid (9/36), or 3 -fid (3/36), or 4 -fid (28/36), or 5 -fid (1/36); truncate (11/13), or obtuse (3/13); muticous (1), or mucronate (3), or awned (37); 1 -awned (36/37), or 3 -awned (1/37). Principal lemma awn subapical (3), or dorsal (38); straight (25), or geniculate (18). Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline (2), or membranous (38); 2 -veined (5/5). Palea keels smooth (31), or scaberulous (9); eciliate (33), or puberulous (1), or ciliolate (5), or ciliate (1). Palea apex dentate (6/6).
FLOWER Lodicules 2 (38/38); membranous (38/38). Anthers 1–2 (2), or 3 (38). Ovary glabrous (36/36).
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform (3/5), or oblong (2/5). Hilum punctiform (30/31), or linear (1/31); 0.33–0.415–0.5 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION Europe (7), or Africa (7), or Temperate Asia (6), or Tropical Asia (5), or Australasia (6), or Pacific (2), or North America (6), or South America (17), or Antarctica (9).
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
