Bromus setifolius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; flat, or involute; 6–8 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate; 9–18 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–10 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–15 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–25 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 4 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. 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: southern South America.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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