GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Glyceria declinata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent, or prostrate; 10–45 cm long; 1–3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; keeled; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–9 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3–18 cm long; 1.5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; equilateral, or nodding; 4–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–3 -nate; simple. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets ascending, or appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 13–25 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 3–5 -fid; obtuse. Palea 1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long; yellow, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.5–2.3 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: Macaronesia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: western Canada, northeast USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Meliceae. CEH.

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