Bromus sipyleus

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 75–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–35 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle cylindrical at apex, or tipped by a glumaceous appendage.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 16–25 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1–2 -nate; bearing 4–9 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 30–35 mm long; 4–6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 11–13 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 15–18 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 7–9 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 3–4.5 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 Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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