Pleuropogon sabinei

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 5–20 cm long; 1 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths 4–12 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 5–13 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 3–5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant.

Spikelets deflexed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 10–17 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; 0.25–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex erose; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4 mm long; chartaceous; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex erose; emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; with each wing 2-awned (0.5–2mm). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia and Soviet far east. North America: Subarctic and eastern Canada.

NOTES Meliceae. Benson.

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