Sesleria

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (27), or short (1). Stolons absent (27), or present (1). Culms erect (27), or decumbent (1); robust (1/3), or slender (2/3); 2–32.33–75 cm long; firm (27), or wiry (1). Lateral branches lacking (19/19). Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length (3/23), or tubular for much of their length (20/23). Ligule an eciliate membrane (21), or a ciliolate membrane (7). Leaf-blades filiform (3), or linear (25); stiff (2), or firm (24), or flaccid (2); without exudate (23), or pruinose (7). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1). Leaf-blade apex muticous (26), or pungent (2).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage.

Panicle spiciform (8), or capitate (22).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (7), or pedicelled (22). Pedicels oblong (4/4).

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets absent (1), or represented by a single scale (27).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets (23), or 4 fertile florets (3); with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.075–5.514–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet (18), or reaching apex of florets (14), or exceeding apex of florets (1). Lower glume lanceolate (17), or ovate (16); 0.9–0.9982–1 length of upper glume; membranous (27), or scarious (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (27), or 2 -veined (15), or 3 -veined (16). Lower glume lateral veins absent (27), or obscure (1), or distinct (15). Lower glume surface without pits; glabrous (25), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (4). Lower glume apex acute (18), or acuminate (12); muticous (7), or awned (23). Upper glume lanceolate (17), or ovate (16); 0.6–0.9778–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (27), or scarious (1); with undifferentiated margins (27), or membranous margins (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined (27), or 2 -veined (15), or 3 -veined (16). Upper glume primary vein eciliate (21), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (6). Upper glume surface glabrous (25), or puberulous (1), or pubescent (4). Upper glume apex acute (17), or acuminate (12); muticous (7), or awned (23); 1 -awned (23/23).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (5), or elliptic (4), or oblong (4), or ovate (22); membranous; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined (25), or 4 -veined (24), or 5 -veined (27). Lemma midvein eciliate (26), or ciliolate (1), or ciliate (2). Lemma surface smooth (27), or scabrous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves; glabrous (11), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (10), or pilose (9); hairy on back (13/21), or on veins (5/21), or between veins (3/21). Lemma margins eciliate (16), or ciliolate (2), or ciliate (12). Lemma apex entire (4), or dentate (27); 3 -fid (12/27), or 4 -fid (9/27), or 5 -fid (24/27); obtuse (1/1); muticous (1), or mucronate (1), or awned (27); 1 -awned (11/27), or 2 -awned (8/27), or 3 -awned (15/27), or 4 -awned (7/27), or 5 -awned (16/27). Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal (3/3). Palea 0.9–1.018–1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined (27/27). Palea keels eciliate (1), or pubescent (4), or ciliolate (23). Palea surface glabrous (21), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (3), or pilose (2). Palea apex dentate (5/5); muticous (13), or with excurrent keel veins (3), or awned (16).

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; plumose (3), or pubescent (25). Ovary glabrous (2/15), or pubescent on apex (12/15), or pubescent all over (1/15).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (27/27); fusiform (1/7), or ovoid (2/7), or obovoid (4/7). Hilum punctiform (3/27), or elliptic (24/27).

DISTRIBUTION Europe (26), or Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (5).

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