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.

Nassella hyalina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–120 cm long. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–30 cm long; 3–5.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; equilateral, or nodding; 5–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5.5–11.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.4–0.9 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–11.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–11.5 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3–5.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface scaberulous; glabrous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona, or with a membranous corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs (on membrane); with this appendage 0.4–1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved, or geniculate, or bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 20–45 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 0.8–1 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.3–2.5 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 1.8–2.3 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

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