Bromus modestus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–40 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3.5–11 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 3–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous; glabrous, or pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 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 lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1(–3) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2–4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 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 South America: western South America.

NOTES Bromeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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