Avena ventricosa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus elongated; 6–7 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 25–30 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 25–30 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.33 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 30–35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 7 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent all over.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; hairy all over. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, and Arabia.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Iran 1993.

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