GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Bromus marginatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 60–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3.5 mm long; erose; obtuse. Leaf-blades 15–25 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 25–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; glabrous to pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; laterally compressed; 11–14 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; distinctly keeled; 7–9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins eciliate, or pubescent. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 4–7 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1–4 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex fleshy.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. North America: western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Bromeae. Pavlick 2004.

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