Milium effusum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–180 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–10 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong, or ovate; effuse; 10–40 cm long; 7–13 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–5 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; indurate; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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