Bromus biebersteinii

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 7–15 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 25–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 8–11 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–14 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblanceolate; 14–16 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2–4 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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