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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Anthoxanthum amarum

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Culms 60–90 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–20 cm long; 6–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 3–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 10–13 mm long; 4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 5–6 mm long; 1.5–2 length of fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; pubescent; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal; 4–5 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret oblong; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of lower sterile floret; scarious; pubescent; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; geniculate; 7–8 mm long. Fertile lemma orbicular; 2.5–3 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 1 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 5 mm long. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Eur 1993.

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