Briza minor

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–6 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–14 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; obovate; 4–20 cm long; bearing many spikelets.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; recurved; 5–15 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; 3–5 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; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblate; auriculate at base; gibbous; 2–3 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; lightly keeled; keeled below; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea orbicular; 0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.25 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, east tropical, southern tropical, south, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central. North America: western Canada, northwest USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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