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.

Phleum alpinum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths dark brown. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–50 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 1–5 cm long; 0.6–1.2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; truncate; 3–3.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 3–3.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–3 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 3–3.8 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein pectinately ciliate. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–3 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy on veins. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 0.9 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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