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.

Helictotrichon lodunense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–120 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 2–9 mm long; 1–5 mm long on basal shoots; acute. Leaf-blades tortuous; flat, or conduplicate; 5–30 cm long; 1.5–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 11–29 secondary veins; subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface ungrooved. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 7–30 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 5–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–3 -nate; 2–5 cm long; bearing 1–3(–5) fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 11–19 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–2.5 mm long; pilose; with 3 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose. Floret callus hairs 1.5–3.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 8–13 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 10–16 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 10–15 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; flat below; 13–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4–6 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: Macaronesia.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Eur 1995.

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