Bromus porphyranthos

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 35–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 18–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas, or eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–17 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 11–16 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; straight, or curved; 12–18 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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