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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 pratensis
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–120 cm long; without nodal roots. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–40 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–13 cm long; 0.5–1 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; 4–6 mm long; falling entire.
GLUMES Glumes connate along margins below; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 4–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 4–6 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.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 4–6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 4 -veined. Lemma margins connate below. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.2–0.3 way up back of lemma; 6–10 mm long overall; clearly exserted from spikelet. Palea absent or minute.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 2–3.5 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. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, and southeast USA. 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.
