Sclerochloa

HABIT Annual. Culms 4–12–20 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (1).

Panicle contracted.

Racemes single (1/1); oblong (1/1); unilateral (1/1). Rhachis angular (1/1). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis (1/1); crowded (1/1).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets (1), or 6–8 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear (1), or oblong (1); laterally compressed; 5–8–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating between fertile florets but the lowest falling with glumes attached. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes; definite.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous with pedicel attached; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.8–0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with undifferentiated margins (1), or membranous margins (1); 1-keeled; 5–6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex obtuse (1), or acute (1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; coriaceous; of similar consistency on margins (1), or much thinner on margins (1); keeled; wingless; 5–7 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous (1). Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform (1/1); dorsally compressed (1/1); concavo-convex (1/1); apex rostrate. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe (1), or Africa (1), or Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia (1), or Australasia (1), or North America (1), or South America (1).

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