Colpodium variegatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 11–33 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades 3–5 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 3.5–8 cm long; 0.5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; 1–3 cm long; elongating after flowering. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2(–3) fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple and yellow; tipped with last colour; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea keels smooth; eciliate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3.3 mm long; yellow, or purple.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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