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.

Lagurus ovatus

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 5–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; lacerate; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1–20 cm long; 2–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle capitate; oblong, or ovate, or globose; 1–7 cm long; 0.6–2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–5 mm long; scarious; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.6–0.8 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 8–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3–5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea linear; 0.75 length of lemma.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Embryo 0.15–0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm soft.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, and south. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: northeast USA and southwest USA. South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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