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Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Bromus lanceolatus
HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–85 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–20 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; (2–)6–12(–20) cm long; 2–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; (12–)25–50 mm long; 6–16 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–9 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or hirsute. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or hirsute. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; (8.5–)12–18 mm long; 5–6 mm wide; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or hirsute. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1–2.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; spreading and briefly coiled at base of limb (sometimes); flat below; 6–12 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliate; adorned sparsely. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–2 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 Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, and China. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia. North America: northeast USA and south-central USA. South America: southern South America.
NOTES Bromeae. Acedo 1996.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.