Bromus sericeus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; oblong; interrupted (branches clustered); nodding; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 25–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 8–14 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–18 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 18–25 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 15–45 mm long overall. Palea 0.8 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.6–1 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; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, Arabia, and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pak 1999.

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