Ammophila breviligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 70–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; scarious. Leaf-blades convolute; 20–60 cm long; 2–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; truncate or rounded at the ends; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.2 length of lemma (2mm).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2–4 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Rhachilla extension 0.25–0.33 length of fertile floret; pilose; hairy throughout but longer above.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Aveneae. WDC.

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