Bromus mucroglumis

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths pubescent, or pilose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate, or woolly. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long, or 2 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent, or pilose. Lower glume apex mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent, or pilose. Upper glume mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10–11 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent, or pilose. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3–5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–3 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex.

DISTRIBUTION North America: 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.