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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; withering. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–75(–100) cm long; 1–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–5(–7) mm long. Leaf-blades 1–12(–30) cm long; 1.5–5(–9) mm wide; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; oblong, or ovate; continuous, or interrupted; 1–12 cm long; 0.6–1.5 cm wide.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; pubescent.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7–9.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 3.7–5.2 mm long; 0.5–0.6 times length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 7–9.5 mm long; 3–5 times length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 2.8–3.6 mm long; 1.5–2 times length of fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 4–5 -veined; pilose; emarginate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal; arising 0.6 way up back of lemma; 2–4 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 times length of lower sterile floret; membranous; pilose; emarginate; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; arising 0.1–0.2 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 6–9 mm long. Fertile lemma orbicular; 1.7–2.4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea oblong; 1 times length of lemma; 1 -veined; without keels.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; (2.9–)3.5–4.8(–5.5) mm long. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.33 times length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, south, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.
NOTES Aveneae. TAC.
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Version: 5th June 2007.