Briza monandra

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 30–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 6–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5–1.8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 2–2.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous; rough above. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.4 mm long. Anthers 1; 0.2–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1–1.6 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Mattei.

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