Rostraria pumila

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 5–35 cm long; 1–4 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to hirsute. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong, or ovate; continuous, or interrupted; 1–6 cm long; 0.4–0.5 cm wide. Panicle axis glabrous, or puberulous. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliolate. Upper glume surface glabrous, or villous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.75 way up back of lemma; 2–3 mm long overall. Palea gaping; 0.5–0.66 length of lemma; hyaline. Palea keels scaberulous. Rhachilla extension villous; with 1 mm long hairs.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Pak 1993.

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