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Descriptions

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

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

Lachnagrostis avenacea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–70 cm long; 4 -noded. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 8–25 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above; fracturing.

Panicle open; obovate; effuse; 10–20 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches drooping; whorled at most nodes.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.8 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; truncate; awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.75 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 4 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 0.75 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south. Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central. North America: northeast USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA. South America: southern South America.

NOTES Aveneae. Tothill 1993.

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