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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Anthoxanthum ovatum

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–55 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Culm-sheaths Gr Extremad 1993. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–50 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; ovate; 1–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.5–7 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; 2.7–4 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 4.5–7 mm long; 2.5–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3.5–4.1 mm long; 1.5–2 length of fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; pilose; dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal; 4–5 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret oblong; 3.5–4.1 mm long; 1 length of lower sterile floret; scarious; pilose; dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; geniculate; 8–11 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate, or orbicular; 1.5–1.7 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 1 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2; 2.3–3.5 mm long. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.5–1.6 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern.

NOTES Aveneae.

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