|
Note - this takes you off
of our website |
GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Alopecurus aequalis
HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms decumbent; 10–35 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; linear; 1–5 cm long; 0.3–0.6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.
GLUMES Glumes connate along margins below; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse; muticous.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 4 -veined. Lemma margins connate below. Lemma apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.35–0.45 way up back of lemma; 1–1.5 mm long overall; not or scarcely exserted from spikelet. Palea absent or minute.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1–1.3 mm long. Stigmas protogynous; terminally exserted; pubescent. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, and southern South America.
NOTES Aveneae. CEH.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Glumes connate only at base.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
