Colpodium

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (14), or short (4), or elongated (6). Stolons absent (23), or present (1). Culms erect (20/21), or geniculately ascending (11/21); 4–28–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length (1/3), or tubular for much of their length (2/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear; stiff (1), or firm (22), or flaccid (1). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open (16), or contracted (8). Primary panicle branches not whorled (23), or whorled at most nodes (1).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (1/1).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets (1/1); 1–2 fertile florets (12), or 3 fertile florets (9), or 4 fertile florets (5); without rhachilla extension (21), or with diminished florets at the apex (3). Spikelets elliptic (3), or oblong (2), or ovate (1), or cuneate (18); laterally compressed; 2–4.9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite (15/15). Floret callus glabrous (17/20), or pilose (1/20), or woolly (2/20).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (17), or reaching apex of florets (3), or exceeding apex of florets (4); parallel to lemmas (6), or gaping (18). Lower glume linear (1/23), or lanceolate (6/23), or elliptic (10/23), or oblong (4/23), or ovate (4/23); 0.6–0.884–1 length of upper glume; membranous (23/23); 1-keeled (21/21); 1 -veined (20/23), or 2 -veined (3/23), or 3 -veined (6/23). Lower glume lateral veins absent (18), or distinct (7). Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex entire (22), or erose (2); obtuse (9/22), or acute (14/22). Upper glume lanceolate (7), or elliptic (13), or oblong (2), or ovate (6), or obovate (1), or cuneate (1); 0.5–0.9267–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with undifferentiated margins (3), or hyaline margins (21); 1-keeled (22/22); 1 -veined (5/23), or 2 -veined (1/23), or 3 -veined (19/23). Upper glume apex entire (21), or erose (3); truncate (1/23), or obtuse (18/23), or acute (5/23).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or elliptic (11), or oblong (10), or ovate (3), or obovate (1), or cuneate (1); hyaline (1/18), or membranous (17/18); of similar consistency above (7), or much thinner above (17); of similar consistency on margins (23), or much thinner on margins (1); without keel (3), or keeled (21); wingless; 3 -veined (12/17), or 4 -veined (1/17), or 5 -veined (6/17). Lemma midvein eciliate (22), or ciliate (1), or pubescent (1). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/3), or prominent (2/3); less than two thirds length of lemma (23/23). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (5), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (15), or pilose (4); hairy on back (8/20), or on veins (13/20); with simple hairs (18/20), or clavate hairs (2/20). Lemma apex entire (3), or erose (21); truncate (4), or obtuse (19), or acute (2); muticous, or mucronate (1). Palea 0.75–1.05–1.2 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate (16), or ciliolate (8). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (3/3).

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (1/1); membranous (1/1). Anthers 3 (21/21).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (1/1). Hilum elliptic (23/23); 0.2–0.2775–0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe (1), or Africa (3), or Temperate Asia (18), or Tropical Asia (6).

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