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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.
Anthoxanthum gracile
HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 10–22 cm long. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths loose, or inflated; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.2–4 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades 1–7.5 cm long; 2–7 mm wide; aromatic. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–9 fertile spikelets.
Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 1.5–3.5 cm long; 0.6–2 cm wide; bearing few spikelets.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; ciliate.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 5.5–6.5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 6.5–9 mm long; 2.4–2.8 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined; pilose; hairy below; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; mucronate. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal. Lemma of upper sterile floret oblong; 1 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; pilose; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; geniculate; 20–22 mm long. Fertile lemma orbicular; 2.7–3.2 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 1 -veined; without keels.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia.
NOTES Aveneae. Fl Turk 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
