Brachypodium pringlei

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–60 cm long; wiry. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 2–4 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous.

Spikelets appressed, or ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 19–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 4 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 6 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Brachypodieae. WDC 2001.

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