Koeleria besseri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths hirsute; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 35–74 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–1 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; interrupted; 5–16 cm long; 1–1.8 cm wide. Panicle axis hirsute. Panicle branches hirsute.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 6 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea gaping; 5.2 mm long; 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central.

NOTES Aveneae. Ujhelyi 2003.

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