Brachypodium kawakamii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–30 cm long; 0.75–1 mm diam.; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 3–6 cm long; 1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–2 fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 12–27 mm long; 6–8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5 mm long; pilose. Floret callus glabrous, or pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 5–8 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 10–13 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 7(–9) -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 9–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 3–6 mm long overall. Palea elliptic, or oblong; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

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

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Ohwi 1996.

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