Deschampsia liebmanniana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; wiry. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–10 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–3 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; pilose; with 2 mm long hairs.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 5–7 mm long; 1.5–1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1 way up back of lemma; straight; 2–6 mm long overall. Palea 3–4 mm long; hyaline. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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