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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 leptoclados

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 50–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hispid. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 5–13 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; equilateral, or nodding; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 13–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–6 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–14 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–14 mm long; herbaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; keeled; 3–5(–7) -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2–12 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate (0.2mm long hairs). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 8 mm long; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Bromeae. FTEA.

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