Bromus flexuosus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 50–110 cm long. Leaf-sheaths retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blades 10–50 cm long; 1–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 20–25 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 16–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 9–12 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10–13 mm long; 2.5–2.8 mm wide; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 5–8 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. 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; ellipsoid; sulcate on hilar side; dark brown; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Bromeae. Planch 1997.

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