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.

Bromus oxyodon

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–20 cm long; 2–15 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; (15–)30–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or hispidulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 9–13 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or hispidulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 12–18 mm long; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or hispidulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1.2–2.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; reflexed and briefly coiled at base of limb; flat below; 15–30 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, China, and Mongolia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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