Briza marcowiczii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 6–14 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–7 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 8–16 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; obovate; effuse; 4–5 cm long; 4–5 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading; branching divaricately.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; 4–6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblate; auriculate at base; gibbous; 4 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; purple and yellow; bordered with last colour; keeled; lightly keeled; keeled below; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea oblong; 0.8–0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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