Brachypodium bolusii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–45 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; lanceolate; 2–7(–17) cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 3–6 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–10 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–11 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 4–8 mm long overall. Palea oblong; 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: south.

NOTES Brachypodieae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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