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.

Agrostis venusta

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; lacerate; obtuse. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–8 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 2–15 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes; branching divaricately. Panicle axis scaberulous (above). Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–6 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–4 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3.7 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 4 -fid; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1–0.5 way up back of lemma; straight, or geniculate; 3–6 mm long overall; without a column, or with twisted column. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aveneae. Vickery 1993.

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