Agrostis hyemalis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–4 mm long. Leaf-blades 0.5–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 7–30 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; rebranched above middle; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.5–2.1 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; 1.5–2.1 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.1 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex muticous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east and eastern Asia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Caribbean and western South America.

NOTES Aveneae. Gr Tex 1993.

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