Bromus frigidus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 7–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate; 2–4 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 6–8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 8–10 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 11–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3–6 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 4.5 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: western Asia.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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