Koeleria

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (24/46), or short (17/46), or elongated (6/46). Culms erect (36/45), or geniculately ascending (12/45), or decumbent (1/45); slender (1/1); 4–36.88–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking (11/11). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (46), or erect (1). Ligule an eciliate membrane (39), or a ciliolate membrane (8). Leaf-blades filiform (7), or linear (44); stiff (15), or firm (31), or flaccid (1). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (3/3).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf (2).

Panicle open (1), or contracted (8), or spiciform (42), or capitate (1).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (1), or pedicelled (46). Pedicels linear (1/5), or oblong (4/5).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets (1), or 2 fertile florets (44), or 3 fertile florets (32), or 4 fertile florets (6); with a barren rhachilla extension (27), or with diminished florets at the apex (29). Spikelets lanceolate (2/46), or elliptic (2/46), or oblong (17/46), or obovate (20/46), or cuneate (12/46); laterally compressed; 2–5.247–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; glabrous (8), or sparsely hairy (1), or pubescent (36), or pilose (3). Floret callus glabrous (1/11), or sparsely hairy (4/11), or pubescent (7/11).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (40), or reaching apex of florets (14); thinner than fertile lemma (2), or similar to fertile lemma in texture (45); parallel to lemmas (5), or gaping (42). Lower glume lanceolate (42), or elliptic (2), or oblong (5); 0.33–0.8405–1.1 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (46); without keels (1), or 1-keeled (46); 1 -veined (38/43), or 2 -veined (7/43), or 3 -veined (12/43). Lower glume lateral veins absent (38), or distinct (11). Lower glume surface smooth (46), or asperulous (3); without pits; glabrous (45), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5), or villous (1). Lower glume apex entire, or erose (1); obtuse (4), or acute (31), or acuminate (13), or attenuate (2); muticous (46), or mucronate (1). Upper glume lanceolate (21), or elliptic (6), or oblong (17), or ovate (3), or obovate (2); 0.66–0.9581–1.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (46); with undifferentiated margins (33), or hyaline margins (14); without keels (1), or 1-keeled (46); 3 -veined (41/41), or 4–5 -veined (4/41), or 6–7 -veined (1/41). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (45), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (1). Upper glume surface smooth (46), or asperulous (3); glabrous (45), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (5), or villous (1). Upper glume apex entire, or erose (1); obtuse (4), or acute (35), or acuminate (9), or attenuate (2); muticous (45), or mucronate (3), or awned (1); 1 -awned (1/1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (6), or elliptic (11), or oblong (27), or ovate (2), or obovate (1), or oblanceolate (1); membranous (45), or chartaceous (2); of similar consistency above (46), or much thinner above (1); of similar consistency on margins (32), or much thinner on margins (15); keeled; wingless; 3 -veined (13/28), or 4 -veined (2/28), or 5 -veined (17/28), or 6–7 -veined (1/28). Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness (41), or scaberulous (1), or scabrous (5). Lemma lateral veins obscure (5/6), or distinct (1/6); stopping well short of apex (3/3). Lemma surface smooth (38), or asperulous (4), or scaberulous (4), or scabrous (3); unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (35), or puberulous (8), or pubescent (4), or pilose (2), or villous (1). Lemma apex entire (46), or dentate (2); 2 -fid (2/2); emarginate (1/44), or obtuse (4/44), or acute (31/44), or acuminate (15/44), or attenuate (4/44), or setaceously attenuate (4/44); muticous (30), or mucronate (15), or awned (15); 1 -awned (16/16). Principal lemma awn apical (13/28), or subapical (15/28); straight (27/28), or curved (2/28). Palea embraced by lemma (2), or gaping (45); 0.5–0.9462–1 length of lemma; hyaline (2), or membranous (45). Palea keels smooth (35), or scaberulous (8), or scabrous (4); eciliate (45), or ciliolate (2). Palea apex dentate (3/3); muticous (46), or with excurrent keel veins (1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (29/29).

FLOWER Lodicules 2 (39/39); membranous (37/37); 2-toothed (9/9). Anthers 3 (46/46). Ovary glabrous (34/34).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (29/29); fusiform (4/8), or ellipsoid (2/8), or oblong (1/8), or ovoid (1/8); laterally compressed (4/4). Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (1/6), or elliptic (5/6); 0.2–0.225–0.25 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe (20), or Africa (7), or Temperate Asia (18), or Tropical Asia (2), or Australasia (4), or Pacific (1), or North America (3), or South America (11), or Antarctica (1).

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