Briza media

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 15–75 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 4–18 cm long; bearing many spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; recurved; 5–20 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; 4–7 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; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 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; 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; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, and northeast USA. South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. CEH.

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