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.

Koeleria carolii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; persistent and investing base of culm; with reticulate dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7–2 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; filiform; conduplicate; 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with 5–7 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; oblong; interrupted; 3–4 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent. Floret callus pubescent; with circular scar.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea gaping; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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