Agrostis canina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent, or prostrate; 15–75 cm long; 1–4 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2–15 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 2–10 cm long; 1–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches capillary; terete; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; terete; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 1.7–3.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous (above). Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 1.1–2.1 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 4–5 -veined. Lemma apex truncate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.2 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 2–4.5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea oblong; 0.1–0.25 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; lanceolate; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Stigmas 2; laterally exserted.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; biconvex; estipitate; without sulcus; smooth; apex unappendaged. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: Macaronesia and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, eastern Canada, northeast USA, and southeast USA. South America: Caribbean. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Aveneae. CEH.

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