Brachypodium arbusculum

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–40 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches ample. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; bilateral; 3–5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–15 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–1.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 8–9 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–8 mm long; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia.

NOTES Brachypodieae. WDC 1997.

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