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 pallidum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 7–16 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 2–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2.5–4 cm long; 0.4–0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 3 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; 1.5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; pallid; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. 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 linear; membranous; light brown; without keels; scaberulous; puberulous; dentate; 2 -fid. Lemma of upper sterile floret linear; membranous; scabrous; pubescent; dentate; 2 -fid; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; 1 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; dark brown; 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; 3 mm long. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Aveneae. Hand-Mazz 2001.

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