Trisetum pauciflorum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; 2–2.5 mm diam.; 4–7 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths with 0.5 of their length closed; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; brown. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; 15 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; 2–5 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1.5 mm long hairs.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.5–5 mm long; membranous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66 way up back of lemma; curved, or geniculate; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea gaping; hyaline. Palea keels scaberulous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl China 2005.

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