Arctagrostis latifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 15–120 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 10–15 cm long; 6–12 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; 3–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–5 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–6 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long; purple. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, and Mongolia. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, and eastern Canada.

NOTES Poeae. WDC.

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