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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Agrostis alpina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–40 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate, or involute; 6–12 cm long; 0.3–0.4 mm wide; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute; callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 2–8 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.6 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 7–9 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 mm long; 0.25 length of lemma; hyaline.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north.

NOTES Aveneae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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