Brachypodium pluckenetii

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades aciculate; involute; 2–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 2–8 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; 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; 0.5–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 0.5–3 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 Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Brachypodieae. Fl Turk 1993.

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