Colpodium ponticum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 20–40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–12 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 4–10 cm long; 2.5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus woolly.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4–4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4.5–5.2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; purple; 1-keeled; keeled below; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins all falling short of apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.2–4.6 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 0.75 length of lemma. Palea keels smooth; eciliate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.1–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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