Agropyron calcis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 17–60 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-nodes swollen; brown, or black. Leaf-sheaths 2.5–5 cm long; glabrous on surface, or pubescent; with reflexed hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 0.1–0.5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6–1.25 mm long; lacerate. Collar dark; glabrous. Leaf-blades 6–25 cm long; 0.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above; tipped by a glumaceous appendage.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 3–13 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets, or many spikelets; bearing 4–13 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface, or woolly on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes oblong.

Spikelets ascending, or spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.25 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus 0.25–0.4 mm long; pubescent; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.7–5.5 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–4 mm long overall. Palea 5.3–7 mm long. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back and on margins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4–0.6 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2.4–2.75 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5–4 mm long; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.75–1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Triticeae. Connor 1997.

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