Colpodium gillettii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 15–35 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long; 12 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–9 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches ascending; 0.1–0.8 cm long; bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume linear; 3–4 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; pallid; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; pallid; 1-keeled; keeled below; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6.3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple and pallid; tipped with last colour; keeled. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea keels smooth; eciliate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–4 mm long; brown.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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