Bromus formosanus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 22–30 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; brown. Leaf-blades involute; 10–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3–9 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 8–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; indistinct the panicle almost racemose; 1–4 cm long; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis 2–3 noded; with lower internodes 1–3 cm long; scabrous. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 15–20 mm long; 5–7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–12 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 12–13 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; light green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 3–7 mm long overall. Palea 10 mm long. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2 mm long. 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: eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia.

NOTES Bromeae. Keng 1996.

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