Glyceria spiculosa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 30–120 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; without keel; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.8–4.8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1.3–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl USSR 1994.

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