Brachypodium phoenicoides

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Culms 45–90 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.6–3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–35 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 6–20 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 4–12 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 12–14(–20) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; curved; subterete; 25–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6.9 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8.2 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 8–11.5 mm long; chartaceous; glaucous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 6.8–10.5 mm long. Palea keels eciliate, or pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.4–1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 4.4–4.6 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 Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia.

NOTES Brachypodieae. Gr Extremad 1993.

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